


Avenging Angels

by Theodur



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: BG2 SoA to ToB Novelization, F/F, F/M, Plenty of Twists, Some Humor, Some Plot, Some angst, some smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:46:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 41
Words: 202,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27939896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theodur/pseuds/Theodur
Summary: Follow the adventures of Leah, a Bhaalspawn and a priestess of Milil, as together with her friends she travels the lands of Amn, seeking fame, adventure and romance... and trying to escape the shadow of her dark parentage.
Relationships: Female Charname & Viconia DeVir, Female Charname/Jaheira (Baldur's Gate), Viconia / Jaheira
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Everything was silent, except for the occasional and very distant clanging of chains or heavy steps of the guardian golems. From one of the cages at the back of the room, green slanted eyes of an imprisoned half-elven female keenly observed the all too familiar surroundings, awaiting the inevitable turn of the events that was about to occur.

Jaheira's worried stare was focused on her young charge, sitting in a similar cage to her own, but in the very centre of the hall that was their prison. Leah, foster child of her dear friend Gorion and one of the Sorlyn, the title by which the priesthood of Milil were known as, sat there numbly, like Jaheira awaiting the arrival of their gruesome captor.

All her senses regarding the passage of time having eroded long ago, the only points of reference left were the visits of their captor, accompanied by several golems, one to bring them meagre servings of rations, just enough to barely sustain them, another one to open the doors to Leah's cage and remove the struggling girl and carry her away, their twisted captor following like a dark, menacing shadow.

The druidess cast another look at the young woman in the other cage, her heart filling with sorrow and bitter anger. Leah's lovely chestnut brown hair had lost all of its sheen, now a shapeless tangle, filled with crusted grime and blood. The tattered rags revealed more reasons to worry, the girl had been a little on the thin side as it was, but now the way her ribs nearly protruded through her skin was frightening. Jaheira herself felt incredibly filthy and weak as a result of malnourishment, but at least she had been spared something that Leah hadn't, the frequent treatment in the hands of her captor.

Countless scars and burns, many untreated wounds covered the young woman's body, Leah herself had healed some of them, but lately she had begun growing apathetic and didn't seem to care about erasing the awful scarring because their captor would simply give her new ones every time he took her away. Jaheira had tried to pray to Silvanus, but had found it increasingly difficult, their connection growing weaker with every passing day. Leah still kept the habit of praying every time after she had regained her senses from the drawn out torture sessions.

But now it was that time again. The dreaded footsteps approached, doors were flung open as the golems strode in, overseen by the tall man in the leather mask, their mysterious captor. Bowl with some revolting substance in it was thrown through the bars of her cage, but she paid no attention to it, her stare chained to the gruesome scene before her as the other golem pried Leah's cage open and reached out to grab her. For the first time since their imprisonment, the young priestess showed absolutely no sign of trying to resist, in quiet acceptance she even reached out and allowed herself to be scooped up easily.

Had Leah finally given up? Panic rushed through Jaheira's frame. "Do NOT give in, Leah, do you hear me?" she shouted, but the girl remained impassive in the golem's tight grasp. "Do not surrender to him, I beg you!"

For a moment their captor spared her a quick notice, the freezing chill of blue eyes penetrating through the leather mask taking her aback, but he immediately turned away and she could feel his humiliating dismissal of her as completely insignificant, less that of a fly on a wall.

"Monster!" she screamed in a shrill voice that she could barely recognize as her own, her throat parched and dry. "Leave her! Take me instead! Take me... I beg you! I order you!" she pulled the bars frantically while screaming, but they would not budge, silently laughing at her pathetic, tired efforts. If only she could share some of Leah's pain, if only she could make it easier for the young woman to survive through this ordeal... but no, she did not have the same unique heritage, and no doubt that was the reason why their sadistic captor found Leah so interesting.

Jaheira sagged against the bars, feeling empty and deflated. Her eyes turned to the only other cage in the room that wasn't empty. A massive giant of a man sat inside, his bald head covered by purple tattoos. With his arms wrapped around his knees, he just sat there, unmoving. "You!" Jaheira hissed. "Can't you do something, you big lummox? Leah is losing the fight, we need to help her!" The big man did not react. "Minsc! Snap out of it!" she shouted.

The large ranger slowly turned his head to face her. His mournful eyes told Jaheira all she needed to know, the giant would be of no help to her in escaping. The death of Dynaheir, his travelling companion and a witch of Rashemen, seemed to be replaying before Minsc's eyes over and over again, putting him into a near catatonic state.

Brave, foolish Dynaheir. Not long after their imprisonment, she had managed to break free from her cage and nearly succeeded in freeing them all. Their captor had intervened just as she was about to let Minsc out of his cage, suddenly appearing behind her and then using his unparalleled array of magic to slaughter her right in front of the raging Minsc, her blood and body parts staining the floor of his cage and all across the room. The captor had not even sent anyone to clean up the mess, preferring to let the gruesomely mutilated corpse to lie there as a warning, and the smell of rotting flesh, together with the stench of urine and excrements had made their conditions maddening.

Soon enough, the first cry of pain reached her from far away, somewhere in the bowels of this accursed dungeon. Each and every following desperate cry stabbed at her heart as she cursed herself, hating her helplessness. She was failing her promise to Gorion, the promise to keep Leah safe, and she was too weak to do anything about it.

She couldn't help but wonder what exactly did their captor hope to achieve by torturing the young woman so harshly. Sometimes, when speaking at her through the bars of the cage, she could hear him muttering something about unlocking Leah's potential. No doubt he had meant the Bhaal taint. Did by torturing her he tried to force her accursed essence into somehow manifesting itself? If that was so, the need to put a stop to all this was even greater, everything that eroded Leah's resistance to the taint was undesirable. She was a kind, gentle soul, her measured compassion often putting Jaheira to shame, Bhaal's hold on her was unnoticeable as of yet. If her captor would strip it all away...

Jaheira shuddered, her thoughts turning in another direction, one even more frightening to her than what was currently being done to her young charge. Her slender fingers traced the outline of her wedding ring, thoughts racing to the fate of her missing husband, Khalid. The fact that he wasn't being held here with the rest of them was ominous and she felt a knot tightening at the pit of her stomach every time it occurred to her. Why would their captor take him elsewhere, when Khalid couldn't have held any special interest to the masked man?

She could only recall vague memories of that night outside Baldur's Gate when their group came under attack from an overwhelming force of assassins and what seemed like more terrifying creatures of the night, ones they were ill prepared to handle, powerful as they were. They had targeted her and Leah first, aiming to disable the healers and she remembered being stabbed in her left side just as someone smashed her head from behind, knocking her on the ground. As she lay there, slowly losing her consciousness, somewhere she thought she had heard Khalid's cry, a dim outline of an assassin appearing behind him and stabbing him in the back with great force.

If that vision wasn't just a figment of her imagination, would the lackeys of their captor bother with healing Khalid's grave injuries? Or attempt to resurrect him? She shuddered at that last thought, shaking her head as if to remove such thoughts. And yet, sometimes she could feel a strange coldness pass through her, telling her that he was no longer among the world of living. And yet sometimes hope prevailed and she dreamed of him imprisoned in a cage just like hers, waiting patiently to be reunited with her...

Sparing a glance at the still apathetic Minsc, she was certain of one thing. Regardless of Khalid's fate, she would not allow herself to withdraw like that. She still had her duty, her obligation to keep Leah safe, and she would do anything to fulfil her promise to Gorion. She would keep the girls safe.

Girls... indeed, her thoughts shifted again, this time to another young woman, an impish pink-haired rogue and Leah's best friend Imoen, someone who had been absent since their capture just like Khalid. However, distressingly, sometimes when Leah was back in her cage, trying to recover from a bout of torture or experiments as their captor liked to term his horrendous treatment of her, Jaheira could often hear pained screams of another victim, someone that seemed to be a young woman. Was it Imoen, Jaheira was not certain, but there was good chance of it. But why would this madman torture HER? She did not carry any taint within her, what did he hope to achieve by torturing this innocent child?

Sometime during her ponderings, she realized that Leah's screaming had stopped. Few minutes later, there were the heavy footsteps again and shortly after, the guardian golem dropped the young woman like a sack of potatoes in her cage. Fresh blood stained her forehead as she groaned weakly, a sight that never failed to fill Jaheira with murderous rage, but all she could do was to try and pull at the bars of her cage and scream obscenities at the masked man who ignored her as usual.

Something was different this time, though. Their captor suddenly turned away from watching Leah's desperate attempts to recover, something else attracting his attention. Jaheira tried to sharpen her hearing as much as she could. Yes, there was something akin to... explosions in the distance? What could it mean?

"They act sooner than I had anticipated," the man said in his customary cold, precise voice. "No matter, they will only prove a slight delay." He then turned around and left, the golem trailing after him.

Faint glimmer of hope rose somewhere deep within Jaheira's chest. Someone was trying to invade this dungeon, take battle to their captor, and no matter if they were a friend or foe, she could not imagine that anything could be worse than this monster in whose care they had been stuck for too long. _But first, the attackers need to succeed,_ she realized, watching Leah slowly get up from the floor of her cage and sit on her knees, readying herself for prayer, like she did after every torture session.

Leah's voice, smooth like velvet, rich and soothing, no matter what atrocities had been performed on her, broke the disheartening silence, as always her prayers to Milil taking a shape of a song.

_"This rust covered cage,"_ she sang, sounding more haunted than ever. _"Is home now for me."_

_"But my home is the Heartlands. And always will be..."_ Images of the Sword Coast swam up before Jaheira's eyes, the mighty forests of Cloakwood, the rocky edges of the Cloud Peaks, the stormy waves of the Sea of Swords washing against the cliffs on which Candlekeep stood proudly. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories of nature's beauty that had been taken from the druidess overwhelmed her.

_"Someday you'll return to me... your valleys and your farms,"_ suddenly Leah's voice broke as she collapsed on her knees, shaking in a fit of quiet sobs.

"Silvanus..." Jaheira whispered, tears streaking down her grime covered cheeks, her grip on the bars tightening. Another explosion went off, this one far closer than the others, rocking their cages slightly. The invaders were advancing, it seemed.

_I will find you, Khalid. We will lead the girls out of here alive, this I swear,_ she swore solemnly. _And then... then I will find our captor and he will pay for all he has done to Leah. My wrath will be terrible indeed._

* * *

_A/N: Leah's song is based on the lyrics of 'Brothers In Arms' by Mark Knopfler of the Dire Straits._


	2. Chapter 2

Leah sat on the stone tiles of the floor, ponderously staring at the swirly surface of the portal ahead of her. She absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair, noting with disgust how it stuck to her fingers, full of sweat and dirt, a sticky, revolting mess. Earlier, while escaping their prison, they had encounter a genie, possibly trapped like they were, and the sadistic creature had tormented her with riddles. Leah had been unable to focus on anything the genie had asked, her attention captivated by the crystalline cave in which the genie resided, and more specifically, on the tantalizing pools of clear water surrounding the cave.

In the end, Jaheira had been the one to pull her away, and despite the urgent need for cleaning herself if just a little, she had to be thankful to the druidess for keeping her head and not giving into the temptation of removing their dirty, rotting rags and just allowing themselves to immerse into the soothing pools. To find Khalid and then to escape, that was their only goal and they could not allow themselves to be distracted by anything.

She raised her head and looked at the young woman sitting next to her, a faraway look on Imoen's usually cheerful face. She had been the one to free Leah and later help her release Minsc and Jaheira, but now, it seemed as if the young rogue was starting to slowly succumb to depression, her mental state a constant worry for Leah. Imoen had always been the one to lift her spirits when she was feeling glum, and now she needed to be strong for her best friend in return. But whatever was to happen, what Imoen had recently said in one of her more lucid moments, Leah realized those words to be very true. They could never go back to the way they were.

"Imoen?" she asked her friend. "Have you rested a little? Can we move on?"

Imoen answered with a solemn nod. Leah's worried expression must have shown, because Imoen then flashed a forced grin at her, saying "Yep, all good to go," in a too cheery voice for the occasion.

"Jaheira?" she looked at the druid, sitting a few paces away, her frame unmoving but the frantic darting of her eyes giving away her true feelings. If not for hers and Imoen's sake, Jaheira would have long rushed through the portal, hoping that Khalid's prison might lay behind it. The patience she displayed was not often a common characteristic of the stubborn druidess, but Leah was grateful for it this time.

"I am ready," came the expected reply.

"What about you Minsc? And Boo?" Leah turned to the last member of their group, smiling as she watched the giant ranger quietly conversing with his puzzling animal companion. Dynaheir's death had nearly broken his will to live, but after Leah and Imoen had managed to get him out of his cage, Minsc had slowly returned to something resembling his old self, the protective instincts to guard Leah and Imoen overcoming his personal grief.

"Minsc and Boo stand ready to face the evil portal... or whatever evil lurks behind it... even if the portal itself might not be evil... eh, Boo says I'm rambling again," the Rashemi looked a little confused, but then smiled at Leah after receiving a squeak of encouragement from his hamster.

"Very well then," Leah rose from the ground, picking up the crude club and dented buckler she had salvaged from some duergar lackey's of Irenicus. Her face twisted at the memory of the name that they had just learned, the name of their captor. "Hopefully this doesn't lead to the Underdark or some Nether plane," she added, before plunging into the swirly vortex.

After the dizzying spell had passed and her vision slowly cleared, Leah realized that she was lying at the bottom of a heavy heap of her companions piled over her, staring at the leather boots of an armed stranger, few feet away from her. Groaning, she tried to crawl out from under the pile, her eyes drifting upwards to meet the stranger's face. Curious pair of narrow, dark eyes of undoubtedly eastern origin looked down at her.

"So, there is sanity in this place after all," the man said, his lips tugging into a barely perceptible smile. "It would appear you are not in league with the evil that dwells down here. If that is so, then Yoshimo begs your assistance."

With a groan, Leah shook the pair of heavy legs likely belonging to Minsc from her back and stood up, brushing dust away from her tattered leather armor as she did so. "Yoshimo?" she asked. The name was certainly Kozakuran, matching his appearance. "Are you a fellow prisoner? How did you come to be here?"

"Ah... that is somewhat of an embarrassing tale, considering my profession," Yoshimo confessed, looking somewhat sour. "The trade of a bounty hunter usually has me springing trap on an unsuspecting victim, yet this time the roles were reversed."

Jaheira had been keeping quiet for long enough, and Leah was almost wondering when her more forceful friend would enter the conversation, but finally the druidess spoke. "And what sort of interest would our captor have in someone like you?" she peered at the bounty hunter with her customary suspicion.

"I would have liked him to explain that as well," Yoshimo winced. "I have my ideas on the matter, but time is precious. Do you truly wish to discuss the politics of Athkatla's underworld right now?"

Jaheira tapped her boot impatiently. "We will make time."

"Wait, Athkatla?" Leah intervened quickly. "Are you sure we're in Amn?"

"My last memories include going to sleep in my room in the Copper Coronet," the Kara-turan explained patiently, sensing that Jaheira would not drop the matter without sufficient explanation. "I could have been drugged and then magically transported who knows where, so I can't guarantee to you that we are still in Athkatla. As for why... in the last few months, there have been reports of many rogues in the employ of the Shadow Thieves..."

"Shadow Thieves?" suddenly Imoen piped up. "Leah and I ran into some of them down in Baldur's Gate... can't say I care much for their type. So you're one of them?"

"No, I am, what you might call a freelancer," Yoshimo said, making a small bow to Imoen. "What I was about to say was, many of the Shadow Thieves have been going missing in the past months, suspected to be either kidnapped or killed by some rival guild."

"And you believe that you were taken by this rival guild," Jaheira stated. "I suppose this... Irenicus," she almost spat the name. "Would be their leader."

"I have not been able to learn much after my capture," Yoshimo noted, with a hint of disappointment. "But I do know that the ones storming this dungeon right now are several groups of Shadow Thief assassins with a 'stab anyone who isn't a Shadow Thief' policy. They are the ones standing between us and the exit, which is why I believe a cooperation would be mutually beneficial."

"Well… he makes sense, I suppose," Leah admitted before turning towards her trusted companions of old. "What do you think?" she asked.

Imoen looked tired and didn't seem to care one way or another. "Whatever... guess it increases the odds of our escape, eh?" she finally said after Leah had prodded her.

"Boo's whiskers are twitching mightily from the sight of you, shifty little man!" Minsc offered with a cheerful yell, poking Boo almost into Yoshimo's face and making the startled rogue take a few steps back. "But Boo also says you are a warrior of no small skill! Minsc would be honoured to fight alongside you."

"If he is less honest in his motives than a bounty hunter normally would be, then perhaps leaving him to stalk behind our backs would be an even worse decision," Jaheira finally admitted, having watched Yoshimo for a while with a piercing stare. Yoshimo, to his credit, had managed to avoid flinching. "Yes, I would say let him join. But make no mistake, your every move will be watched," she warned.

"I have been told that the Great Yoshimo has such effect on the ladies, yes," the Kozakuran grinned. Imoen snickered aloud and was silenced by Jaheira's stare, while Leah escaped that particular punishment, having only allowed herself an inward chuckle.

"Welcome to the group then, Yoshimo," Leah said, shaking the man's hand firmly. "I am Leah, cleric to the Lord of Song. This is my feels-like-a-sister, Imoen, the best rogue north of Athkatla," she drew Imoen closer, affectionately ruffling her hair. "The suspicious one is Jaheira, our resident druidess and the voice of reason in this group," Jaheira just snorted at that description before allowing herself a small smile. "And those two are Minsc and Boo, the most fearsome evil butt-kicking duo to ever leave Rashemen."

"Rashemen, I thought those tattoos looked familiar," Yoshimo said, eyeing Minsc with increasing curiosity. "You are far from home, my friend."

"Minsc and Boo left on a dajemma to..." suddenly the big ranger fell silent, sharp pain flashing in his eyes. "But we failed, didn't we Boo," he added quietly.

"Our journey isn't at an end yet, Minsc. Chin up and let's move onwards," Leah tried to sound cheerful.

"Before we pass through that door," Yoshimo stepped aside, pointing to the passage behind his back. "Allow me a small warning. I have scouted the room ahead, and it is filled with great number of small fiends... I believe you call them mephits. I took note of some odd contraptions, portals that kept spawning the little beasts. It would be prudent to take care of the portals first, lest we get overwhelmed."

"Good thinking. Thankfully we have our Anti-Mephitator, otherwise called Minsc and Boo," Leah smiled at the proud looking Minsc, brandishing his new sword. Seeing the Sword of Chaos still conjured up painful memories, the images of it in Sarevok's arms, using the weapon to stab through Gorion's heart. But she could not allow these emotions to stand in the way of practicality, Minsc could use the powerfully enchanted weapon to greatly aid in their escape, so she had decided against throwing it away.

"Minsc, Yoshimo and myself should charge in and take the brunt of the mephit onslaught," Jaheira suggested. "Leah, you and Imoen focus on destroying those portals."

"Ah, my friend, I am not as comfortable on the front lines, I believe my skills would better be utilized otherwise," Yoshimo suggested, earning a frown from Jaheira.

"Very well, I will leave that up to your own discretion," the druidess said curtly, together with Minsc taking a position at the door and waiting until the others readied themselves. When they all were prepared, Jaheira threw the door open and Minsc charged in first with a loud berserker cry, immediately attracting the attention of the dozen mephits inside.

The ensuing fight was a short one, Minsc and Jaheira wading through the crowds of squeaking mephits with long-practiced efficiency, even if Jaheira time and again had to be mindful to get out of the way of Minsc's more erratic sword swings. Yoshimo chose to stay a little in the shadows, his bowstring sending out arrows with deadly precision and time from time again he switched to his katana to quickly behead a confused mephit that had just emerged from one of the portals. Leah was content to stay in her customary support role, casting blessings to strengthen the resolve of her friends while moving from one portal to another and meticulously shattering them with her wooden club. Imoen moved with her, covering Leah from attacks by some stragglers that managed to sneak by Minsc or Jaheira, not that there were many.

Soon enough, the mephits lay dead, the portals smashed and the whole room oozing with acrid, sulphuric smell. Imoen and Yoshimo, the two rogues, went over the various chests, searching for better weapons or armor to salvage. Leah slowly wandered over to the other side of the room, which looked almost like a laboratory of sorts, shelves and tables covered with jars, and the strong scent of formaldehyde overwhelming the sulphuric stench of the mephits.

Then she noticed it, on one of the tables, remains of something that had once been a man, amongst bloodied surgical implements. The man's armor and clothes had been stripped and laid out on a rickety chair next to the table, green embroidered cloak on top of the pile. _Looks just like the cloak that Jaheira bought him the last day before we left Baldur's Gate, Khalid really liked it..._ then it hit her, like the combined weight of thousand bricks. She nearly cried out aloud, feeling all colour draining from her face as she turned around, away from the grizzly scene.

The ever-observant druidess noticed her reaction immediately. "What is it, Leah, what did you find?" she strode towards her purposefully.

"No..." Leah groaned, desperately grasping Jaheira's hand and trying to prevent her from walking closer.

"Let me see," the druidess surged past her, advancing towards the table. Her last few steps echoed in the room like horrifying gongs of imminent apocalypse. There was silence after that, so long and overwhelming, the only thing Leah could hear was the sound of her own ragged breathing.

With a heavy sound, Jaheira dropped on her knees next to the table. "So it is true," she said, her voice harsh, almost alien. "You bastard! How dare you do something like this to me!" she finally gave her emotions free reign, yelling with bitter fury. "Khalid... you swore to never leave me! How could you..." then the tears finally came with a flood, Leah feeling her own cheeks becoming moist, the clenching pain in her chest making it impossible to stand and she hobbled over to where Jaheira sat on her knees, the half-elf's shoulders shaking as she was fighting sobs.

The others had joined them by now, standing around the table, silent as eerie ghosts, watching the symphony of grief playing out before their eyes. Leah reached out with her hand, about to place it on Jaheira's shoulder, when the druidess suddenly whirled around, anger in her reddened, tear-stained eyes. "Get away from me," she snarled. "I do not need your comfort! The only thing I need... is him. Can you give me that?"

Leah knew she could not. One look at the desecrated body had been enough to tell her that resurrection was practically impossible. "I am sorry... it is all because of me," she managed.

Heavy backhanded slap with the rough metal-shod gauntlets caught her completely by surprise. "You are damn right about that!" she heard Jaheira shouting, as with her tongue she tentatively probed the loose teeth in her aching left cheek. At least they hadn't been knocked out outright.

_I don't care if she beats me silly or not, it can't possibly hurt as much as she is hurting right now._ Her head lowered, she could only whisper one word. "Gorion."

Somewhere within Jaheira, the memory must have resounded with the druidess, realizing that the feeling of desperate loss, the anchor of her life itself, was not something unknown to the young priestess. Leah found herself being pulled into the embrace of the older woman, as they cried into each other's shoulders.

"Perhaps I could offer Boo to comfort them," she could hear Minsc musing aloud.

"I am not sure that is such a good idea, my large friend," and there was Yoshimo, placing his hand on Minsc's shoulder and wisely stopping him.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Jaheira," Imoen said, sitting next to them. "I know this is hard." Leah could feel Jaheira's embrace on her tightening, Imoen's words bringing the opposite of comfort, but the druidess managed to not show any reaction. Unfortunately, Imoen took it as a sign that she should try harder. "Besides, I can tell you that Khalid didn't suffer."

Leah felt Jaheira push her away as she turned towards Imoen. "What are you babbling about, child?" her voice angry.

"I'm not a child, and I'm not babbling!" Imoen exclaimed in the completely wrong moment to rediscover her defiance. "I was there when Irenicus did all these things to him, I can tell you that Khalid was long dead when he started..."

"This is insane! You watched him do this? Why? Why would he do this?" Jaheira rose, towering over Imoen.

"I don't know," Imoen also got up to her feet, but she was now covering, starting to sob as she spoke. "But he would cut and say 'Do you see?' He forced me to watch as he just kept cutting all the time saying 'Do you see?' 'Do you see?'"

"Why are you telling me this, you fool child?" Jaheira screamed, rage and pain equal in her voice. Leah bolted to her feet, fearing that the druidess might attack Imoen. "Do you honestly believe I would find any of this comforting?"

"I... I... I just wanted to..." Imoen's face suddenly fell, as she broke into tears. Without saying anything else, she whipped around and ran out of the room, in the direction from which according to Yoshimo the Shadow Thief assassins were advancing.

"Yoshimo! Minsc! After her!" Leah barked, but Yoshimo was already on the run, Minsc closely following.

Jaheira was standing in front of her, still seething, stonily staring in the direction Imoen had ran off to. Despite her better judgment, Leah dared to place her hand on the half-elf's shoulder. "Please don't hit me again, Jaheira," she said quietly.

That seemed to register with the druidess and when she regarded Leah again, the anger from her face had evaporated. She put her hand over Leah's on her shoulder, squeezing it briefly. "Would you... like me to say a prayer?" Leah asked.

"No, thank you," Jaheira whispered. "It is something for me to do myself." With that she dropped down on her knees again.

"Sil... Silvanus guide the light to the source," she began unsteadily. "Take this man to what he justly deserves. By... nature's will, what was given is returned, what was turmoil... is now peace. Khalid of my heart, let my love... my love guide the way..." she broke down in sobs towards the end, Leah helping her back to her feet.

"We cannot linger here for much longer," Jaheira finally said, having recomposed herself.

"I know, but don't expect me to rush you in a moment like this."

"Thank you, Leah. There will be payment for what has been done here, this I swear, but it will be in a different place and on different terms," the druidess said solemnly, before turning back to the table one last time. "Just one last thing," she said, reaching out to touch her husband's cold, mutilated hand, gently slipping off the wedding ring off his finger before safely pocketing it away.

Turning away for the final time, Jaheira took the green cloak from the chair, looking at it with pain in her eyes, but somehow managing to resist crying. "He never really got to use it at all," she spoke quietly, wiping off her wet cheeks on the fabric and then tucking it behind her armor. "Come. Let us leave this place."

With heavy heart, Leah turned to follow her friend. Gorion, Dynaheir and now Khalid... so many dead already because of her damned heritage. And somehow, she could not shake off the sinking feeling that this might not be the last time she would be forced to deal with a loss...


	3. Chapter 3

Jaheira regarded the young woman silently sitting amidst the bloodstained rubble from a destroyed section of what looked to be a marketplace inside a large city. Leah hadn't showed any intention to rise to her feet and move ever since the group of cowled spellcasters had shown up and after a bloody struggle spirited themselves away, taking Irenicus and Imoen with them. The young rogue's only crime had been to cast a simple, hopeless magic missile at their captor, but somehow the cowled ones did not seem to be the sort interested in details, especially considering how many of their kin had been slaughtered by Irenicus during their short battle.

But as time went on, Jaheira's patience slowly began to wear thin. She had been willing to give the girl time to gather herself, the shock to see her friend taken again was undoubtedly paralysing, but now they had to be already focusing on planning how to get Imoen back… and how to reach Irenicus, of course.

She waded past the stray rocks and what seemed to be remains of several disintegrated Shadow Thieves. "Leah," she said sternly, attracting the girl's attention. "It is time we remove ourselves from this place. The guards are already gathering and looking at us oddly, and I do not wish to answer their questions."

Wordlessly Leah rose to her feet. "Sorry," she said. "Do we even know where we are, is this Athkatla as we thought?"

Jaheira looked around more thoroughly. The buildings did look vaguely familiar, the style of architecture reminded her a little of Tethyr, but this place... no, this place she knew, it was only the colourful circus tent nearby that was fooling her memory. "Yes, I am sure of it. This is the Promenade, the chief marketplace in Athkatla," she let her eyes wander over the scene of carnage. "It would appear that Irenicus has buried great many merchant stalls along with their customers under all this rock."

"You can really tell that this is Athkatla just by a few buildings?" Leah wondered.

"My work has taken me here quite often in the past," the druidess explained. "It must be no more than six cycles since Kha-... Khalid and I were here the last time." Leah looked about to say something, but Jaheira turned away and cast her eyes towards the clear blue sky above. "Khalid? Silvanus, let him hear my vow... if I must, I shall empty this city of all within to find his killer... so do I swear."

"You won't have to do it alone," Leah said behind her.

"Good. I had hoped you would feel this way," the druidess nodded, as they both returned to Yoshimo and Minsc standing a little aside and arguing about something.

Seeing them approach, Minsc addressed them vehemently. "Boo is faced with a horrible conundrum, even though Minsc is not sure what a conundrum is, perhaps some sort of very hard nut," that made Jaheira and Leah both smile slightly. "Minsc is prepared to chase after the evil wizard immediately! He might be leering over little Imoen as we speak! But the little shifty man here says Minsc and Boo should be patient and not rush headlong into danger like lemmings off the cliff!"

"I am sure the ladies will agree that we must exercise caution, regroup and make our plans," Yoshimo said. "This would be best achieved while laying low in some inconspicuous locale. I believe I know a place just like that."

Jaheira hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure she trusted the rogue that much yet to let him be the one to make such decision. But she also could not see any motives he might have to wish them ill. "Very well, after we have taken care of some of the business here at the Promenade, you may take us to this hideout. Truth be told, I was not certain you would be staying with us," she added.

"I bear no love for the man, even if I have less grave reasons to hunt him than you do," Yoshimo explained, his eyes appearing genuine. "I would follow you if you would have me."

"Of course, Yoshimo," Leah said quickly, making Jaheira wondering whether the girl still worried that she would be trying to assume leadership of the party. During their travels across the Sword Coast, this had been a rather large issue constantly hanging between the two of them, but fortunately Leah's own growing competence had resolved it and the young priestess did not have to worry about the rivalry resuming. _Perhaps I should actually tell her that at some point,_ a thought occurred to the druidess.

"You mentioned some other business here, Jaheira?" the priestess asked.

"Yes, first of all, does anyone have injuries that would be best healed immediately? I think Leah and I both ran out of healing spells a long time ago."

"Minsc and Boo are ready to kick evil's buttocks, no healing for us!" the giant bellowed.

"A few light cuts and nicks, nothing that would hinder me in my task," Yoshimo smiled.

"Just generally bruised all over but I'll be fine," Leah added.

"Very well," Jaheira dropped to her knees and started sorting through their belongings. "Yoshimo, come here," the Kara-turan was quick to respond to her urgings. She handed him a sack full of mostly gems, some scrolls and weaponry they had no immediate use for. "You look to be savvy enough to handle yourself with the local merchant ilk. Try to get us a reasonable return for this. Minsc, go with him."

"And Boo?"

"...by Silvanus, Minsc **and** Boo go with Yoshimo," she sighed, ignoring Leah's chuckle.

"What about us?" the girl asked, seemingly unfazed by Jaheira's attempted glare.

"You are coming with me," Jaheira grabbed her by the hand and led her across the rubble to the closest untouched section of the grand Promenade, then up the stone steps until they reached a tiny door between the entrances to two upper class inns the services of which they could not afford yet. Before Leah had any chance to ask more questions or protest, Jaheira pushed her through the tiny doorframe into a dark and miserable looking room that held a pathetic looking shrine, an emaciated looking man in rags kneeling on a rug before it.

Jaheira dropped a few coins on the collection tray next to the shrine, and the sound of copper seemed to awaken the skeletal looking priest. "Welcome to the temple of Ilmater," he croaked, getting up from the floor. "Your kindness is appreciated. What can my gentle liege do for you?"

"She needs healing," Jaheira pointed at Leah, the girl's eyes widening.

"What? I said I'll be fine," she protested.

Jaheira stomped over to Leah and unceremoniously took the girl's chin in her hand, turning Leah's head to face her. "You are not going anywhere with that bruise," she said, lightly laying a finger on the injured cheek that by now had grown an interesting shade of purple. From the way an errant tear escaped from Leah's eye even at the lightest touch, the girl had clearly been lying when she claimed that it did not cause her any discomfort. "Do not be stubborn, you will not create the best impression when you look like some sort of barbarian that wears his scars with pride or some such nonsense."

"I will not create the best impression from not having had a bath in… probably months, and smelling like an old latrine!" Leah argued.

"Ignore her, priest," Jaheira commanded. "I want that cheek of hers healed now."

"Fine... fine, if it's that important to you," the girl finally relented.

As Jaheira silently watched the priest cast his spells on Leah, the swelling quickly diminishing and skin resuming its normal colour, she wondered if Leah truly didn't understand why she wanted the marks of this injury gone as soon as possible. _I accused her of being guilty over my husband's death and then I punched her in the face. There will... be need for apologies, even if Leah will claim she does not need them. I do._

"Satisfied now?" Leah turned to face her again, while at the same time touching her cheek with her fingers. It was obviously no longer causing her any pain, and the girl looked relieved herself.

"I will not be satisfied until the rest of your scars are healed as well," Jaheira told her quietly, making sure the priest did not overhear. Having thanked the old man, she pulled Leah outside again. "You try to hide it, but I know that your body is covered with markings. Now, I imagine you might be uncomfortable letting this old codger work on those, but tomorrow morning you will fix as many as you can yourself, and I will help you if needed. Is that clear?"

Leah seemed taken aback by Jaheira's ferocity over the issue. "Why is that so important? Surely my healing will be more needed elsewhere."

"We both have plenty of memories from that dungeon, enough to haunt us several lifetimes. You don't need to carry with you even more reminders, ones that are in your power to erase easily."

"I hadn't thought about it like that," Leah shrugged. "But I guess I'll defer to your wisdom again. Shall we go look for Minsc and Yoshimo?"

"Minsc and Yoshimo **and** Boo," Jaheira said with irritation. "Blasted rodent."

Leah grinned before pointing in the distance. "I think I can see them there, bargaining with that... err, large woman."

"Good choice on Yoshimo's part," the druidess nodded, looking at how Yoshimo bowed and wildly gesticulated to the woman who was struggling to get in any counter argument. They waited for a while and soon enough the two men and hamster returned, Yoshimo proudly presenting her with two reasonably full sacks of coins. Jaheira simply nodded at Leah, refusing to take the money, and Yoshimo handed them over to the slightly surprised priestess. _I think she needs to feel that I still trust and rely on her. I will not let her collapse on me, she has led us this far and I will pull her onwards by her hair and screaming if she refuses to lead us now._

"Did you learn anything else of importance while talking with the merchants?" Jaheira inquired before they turned to leave.

"It is what we thought," Yoshimo replied. "There were sightings of groups of Shadow Thieves entering the sewers leading to the dungeon. And the ones who took your friend, I'm afraid they were the Cowled Wizards."

"Cowled Wizards? I assume that means trouble?" Leah looked worried.

"Spellcasters of the highest order here in Amn, in fact, the only ones allowed to use magic in public. We just saw what happens to those who ignore that rule," Jaheira said.

"By Milil, it was just a harmless magic missile," Leah groaned in exasperation. "Do they have some representatives we can appeal to?"

"We can make inquiries later," Jaheira stated. "But I would not hold my breath. They are not closely affiliated to any branch of the government, and operate almost outside of the law. And the Council seems to prefer it that way."

"Sounds like a wonderful land, especially if you're a spellcaster," Leah grumbled.

"Oh, you have no idea. But I think we are done here," Jaheira said then. "Yoshimo, lead us to this mysterious hideout of yours."

"This way, ladies, berserkers and hamsters," Yoshimo bowed before leading the way towards the northern gate out of the Promenade. "The enchanting Slums District and the glamorous Copper Coronet awaits us!"

* * *

Several hours later, Leah led her friends out of a rundown and completely unremarkable slums dwelling that served as a hideout of one Gaelan Bayle. This Gaelan had jumped them the very moment they had entered the slums, the encounter suggesting that they had been watched ever since their exit from that accursed dungeon. In any case, Gaelan Bayle had an offer to make to Leah and her friends. For _mere_ twenty thousand gold, a powerful group of individuals that everyone already knew were the Shadow Thieves, even if Gaelan stubbornly avoided speaking their name, would bring them to Imoen and Irenicus.

Now, even though Leah did not know much about the Shadow Thieves, she was certain of one thing. Even if twenty thousand gold was a huge amount, an organization like this thieves guild didn't truly need it. It was likely simply a deception, asking for something else in order to hide their true motivations. Whether they wanted her allegiance, aid with something, at the moment it was anyone's guess, but if one took into account the bloody guild war the Shadow Thieves were currently embroiled within...

Leah believed Yoshimo, Jaheira and Bayle when they all claimed that the only organizations with enough power to help them were either the Cowled Wizards or the Shadow Thieves, and the wizards had never been known to be cooperative in such matters. So she had agreed to the deal, as for now she was not risking with anything, she had no gold to pay them yet and likely would not have enough for... Milil only knew how long. And since they hadn't been issued with Shadow Thief representative badges, Leah hoped that the other guild, whoever they were, would leave them alone in their bloody struggle to conquer the underworld of Athkatla.

Bayle had mentioned several opportunities for them to earn the required coin, amongst those a rather disturbing emergence of some cult that had most churches in Athkatla very concerned. Leah was considering asking Yoshimo or Jaheira to lead her to the Temple District right away, but then again, they had planned to go to this Copper Coronet, which was also reputed to have many job opportunities for the daring adventurer type.

In the end, Leah must have spent few moments too much during her musings, as Jaheira's snapping voice lashed at her like a whip. "So, where to now, fearless leader?"

"Eh, I'm no longer sure," Leah said, shrugging. "We were on our way to the Coronet, but now I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't waste time and go pursue some of the leads Bayle threw at us."

"Well, you better decide soon, because we can't stand here all day and watch the grass grow while you're 'wondering'. It makes one think you were dropped as a child. Or kicked."

Leah turned her head to utter a biting retort, but then decided against it. "Well, if snapping at me makes you feel better, please do go on," she just said, turning her back to the rest of them and slowly walking off.

"Leah, please," Jaheira immediately jumped to follow her. "I was wrong to speak so at you. The stress must be getting to me, I will try to be more civil with you."

Leah turned around and smiled faintly. "Your apology is accepted. And, I think we'll go to the Copper Coronet, get something to eat, clean ourselves and have a good night's sleep before embarking on new adventures."

"Boo approves of this plan! It is much more comfortable to kick the buttocks of evil while wearing a clean loincloth!" Minsc agreed jovially.

"Err, that too," Leah smiled. "Yoshimo, lead us on please."

"We have arrived, my friend," the rogue said, pointing to his right. "This is the fabled Copper Coronet."

"What?" Leah was confused, staring at this strangest of... structures, for that was the only description that came to her mind. It was massive, taking up a whole block in the centre of the slums. Initially, it might have been a warehouse of sorts, then rebuilt or naturally evolved into something shapeless and abominable as tiny hovels and ramshackle houses had spread around it and on top of its low roof like festering boils, creating a truly unique appearance that was anything but appealing. "That is... the Copper Coronet?"

"The one and only," Yoshimo chuckled. "It has a certain charm, wouldn't you say?"

"Much like the rest of the slums, I suppose," Leah looked the other way from the Coronet at the rows of rundown houses, their squalid pallor depressing in its hopelessness, the beggars staring at them hopefully, children playing in the disgusting mud near the sewer drains... Jaheira's disdain for cities had never made much sense to Leah, but at this particular moment she was almost tempted to agree with her old friend.

Unfortunately for Leah, walking through the slums while not looking under one's feet was a dangerous undertaking. As they had nearly reached the entrance to the Coronet, Leah bumped into something small but sturdy and lost her balance, tripping over a dwarf and crashing into his large human companion.

"'ey, watch where ye be goin'," the dwarf cursed.

"Are you looking for trouble, girl?" the human seemed to have an even shorter fuse than the dwarf. "Well, either way, you've found it!" that said, he withdrew a wicked looking sword and reached out to grab her.

"Rrragh! No one harms little Leah while Minsc and Boo are around!" came the shout of rage while Leah nimbly ducked aside and out of Minsc's charge that nearly toppled his opponent.

"Now look what ye done, can't ye see dem be armed?" the dwarf shouted, picking up his axe. "Mr. F. don't like us killin' people in ta street, ye know."

"Help her with the dwarf," she heard Jaheira ordering Yoshimo, as Leah herself had to backpedal, trying to defend her kneecaps from the dwarf's vicious blows. While she was still wondering why Jaheira herself didn't wade into the fray, a column of lightning roared from the sky, striking the dwarf. Stunned, the angry thug just stood there, twitching, until Yoshimo appeared behind him, killing him with a powerful katana backstab. Finishing off Minsc's already injured opponent after that was merely a formality.

"Is drawing your weapon and trying to kill you a reasonable reaction just because someone accidentally bumped into you?" Leah wondered aloud as they were about to enter the establishment.

"No, but I'd urge you to be more careful, young lovely," Yoshimo said. _Young lovely?_ Leah's eyebrows rose at that comment. "These are the slums, a lawless place to say the least. People have been killed for much less than that."

"Try to remember that once we are inside, too," Jaheira added, being the first to step into the inn of dubious repute, Leah and Yoshimo next, followed by Minsc. "Stay here and try not to attract attention, avoid staring and just act sensibly. I will go speak with the barkeep and see about our rooms."

With that, Jaheira disappeared into the reasonably thick crowds, leaving Leah with nothing to do other than to try and survey the place, hopefully without attracting too much attention to herself. The first impression was that the Coronet was roughly the same size as the fabled Elfsong in Baldur's Gate, but far more rowdy and dirty. Elfsong had also provided more opportunities for privacy, nice secluded lounges lined around the large floor in the middle, open for dancing. Here, the tables were scattered around in chaotic patterns, groups of people crowding each one. Loud arguing and cursing was a constant background noise in contrast to the lovely bards in Elfsong, and at one of the tables several thugs were even freely throwing punches at each other. The bouncers ignored the fight at the table, too busy themselves with kicking into unconsciousness some hapless collapsed drunkard a dark corner.

As more and more time passed, Leah started to become impatient and worried, she could not see a glimpse of her friend through the thick crowd. While Jaheira could handle herself far better than Leah could, the patrons of this place seemed quite dangerous. "I'll just go see if I can spot Jaheira, I won't wander far," she told the two men, ignoring Yoshimo's worried frown before starting to carefully navigate through the crowded tables.

While the incident outside the Copper Coronet had been borne out of Leah's inattentiveness, this time the disaster that happened was not her fault. Someone deliberately stuck a foot in her path and she stumbled, losing her balance. Leah quickly felt a pair of arms seizing her and suddenly found herself pulled into the lap of some dirty looking bandit.

"What you got there, Amalas?" one of the man's equally vile looking friends asked.

"Don't know, but feels like a mighty fine catch to me," Amalas replied. She could feel his breath on the nape of her neck, the stench of cheap booze sickening her.

"Can't get a good look at her under that helmet," another thug joined in the merriment.

"Well, we better take it off then, right?" Amalas reached out to try and slip her helm off. At this point, Leah did something that was very likely unwise. She elbowed the smelly thug smack dab on the nose, then quickly jumping off his lap and trying to get away while he was still wheezing in pain. Unfortunately, his friends were quick to react, and she found herself held tightly by Amalas' two cronies while the man himself slowly got up from his chair, gingerly holding his bloody, smashed nose.

"You'll pay for this, harlot," he snarled, withdrawing a curved dagger. "I'll give you a few scars that no healer will be able to fix. Yes, when I will be done with you, no man will ever want to spare a second glance at you. Maybe then you'll be begging Amalas, but let me tell you, you proud whore, I will only laugh at you."

_This just is not my day,_ Leah thought, frantically looking around. She could see Yoshimo and Minsc trying to fight their way towards her, but as Amalas raised his dagger, she knew they would not make it in time. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come...

...only to open them again when she heard Amalas let out a surprised scream of intense pain, a heavy mace having shattered his elbow. As he slowly turned around to face his attacker, a heavily polished shield with an intricate family crest engraved on it smashed against Amalas already broken nose, knocking him on the floor severely crippled and unconscious. Leah quickly found herself falling backwards, the thugs immediately releasing her and rushing to carry their wounded leader away from the field of battle.

While Leah was still wondering what had happened, a pair of gentle, steady hands helped her back on her feet. She turned around to look into the deep brown eyes of a smiling young man, dressed in a shiny, well-maintained plate armor. "Fair lady," he said in what could only be described as a tremendously exaggerated knightly accent. "What brings you to this cesspool of corruption?"


	4. Chapter 4

It was still early the next morning, but Jaheira had already managed to take a refreshing bath, say her prayers to Silvanus and restore her spells, and was also nearly done with bringing her unruly hair into a more presentable state. Her once wavy golden brown locks had assumed an unhealthy, bleached look and her solution was to weave them into several small braids, which did a decent job at hiding the otherwise sorry state of her hair.

She was about to finish working on her last braid, when the doors behind her opened, her roommate entering. "Morning, Jah... hey, what have you done to your hair?" Jaheira was about to glare at her friend, when Leah quickly added. "I love it! Uh, I was just... surprised, that must have taken some effort and I didn't think you to be the type to care much."

"Under different circumstances I would not, but remember, we are having talks with two potential employers over the breakfast. It would be beneficial to appear somewhat decently attired. As much as we can manage wearing that salvaged junk," she snorted, then turning to look at Leah, the girl standing there in a short green tunic, hair damp from the visit to baths. "Your own hair could do with some work," Jaheira stated matter-of-factly.

"Can I deal with that later? Weaving those braids probably takes a while and even though I like them, I don't think they're quite my style."

"Fair enough. Also, I would avoid running around the inn in such a state," Jaheira shook her head disapprovingly. "We all remember what happened yesterday." Leah just grumbled in response. "Did you... do as I asked of you with your..."

"Yes, yes, I managed to heal them all, I can be on the cover of Adventurer's Monthly again," Leah replied, impatience seeping into the girl's voice. "Well, alright, I couldn't fix a few completely, but the scars are not very pronounced."

"Show me, maybe I can help."

"Err, I uh, really don't think that's needed Jaheira," Leah's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's, umm, a slash across my thigh, and an incision between the ribs here," she pointed at her left side. "But just small markings, not worth making a fuss about."

"Very well then," Jaheira turned back to her braid, quickly applying last few touches. "I am almost ready and you should not dawdle around either, we will be expected downstairs soon."

"How did you manage to find some promising employers amongst that filth anyway," Leah wondered, starting to dress. "Also, I am not impressed that you sneaked back downstairs after convincing me that we both would be retiring early."

"I regret having to lie to you, but you needed rest, while I could not sleep," Jaheira shrugged. _To be honest, I was afraid what my dreams would be like._ "As for whether those employers are promising, well, you'll have to judge that for yourself."

"Well fortunately I'm still allowed to make decisions for the group as a whole, even if I can't make any decisions regarding myself!" Leah laughed. "I do hope you slept at least a little."

"I did," Jaheira said, rising from the chair. "Now let's go, no time to lose."

As the two of them walked down the corridor towards the stairs leading to the common room, Leah remarked. "So, what do you think of the newest addition to our ranks? My recruiting skills are admirable, aren't they?"

"I am not sure the squire will be worth having your head nearly lopped off," Jaheira found herself scowling. "We shall see. I would have preferred someone who dabbles in magic, but perhaps your shining knight will have his uses."

"My shining knight?" Leah laughed. "Oh, you are in a funny mood this morning."

The three men of the group were already downstairs, midway through their breakfast. Yoshimo could be seen explaining something to the young squire, the bounty hunter's grin predatory while the other man was frowning slightly at the Kozakuran's words. Minsc was busy devouring his meal while watching Boo make somersaults from a large saltshaker, occasionally clapping for the hamster. Yoshimo was the first to notice them approach, and together with the squire they rose and bowed to them, Minsc merely confining himself to a customary smile and greeting while remaining seated.

"Our ladies truly look enchanting this morning after a peaceful night's rest, don't they, my good squire?" Yoshimo said, playfully elbowing the young man. Before the squire could become truly embarrassed, Jaheira decided to chase Yoshimo away to fetch some food for them as she and Leah seated themselves at the table.

"Anomen, was it?" Leah asked. "I'm afraid that yesterday was a rather... hectic day for us. Please don't be offended if your name managed to escape my notice."

"It is Anomen Delryn, my lady," the young man said with a smile. "Your memory manages to be flawless despite all adversities. But allow me to ask you something. Earlier, I was passing by the bathing chambers and heard someone singing the most... haunting, alluring song I have ever heard. Did you happen to hear it as well? Truly, it was a voice worthy of a deva."

Jaheira could not stop herself from laughing openly at the sight of Leah's face turning bright crimson. "Did I... say something untoward, ladies? If so, I apologize most profusely!"

"Peace, Anomen," Jaheira told him with a smile. "It was Leah you heard singing in the baths. She is a cleric of Milil, and the song is her way of praying." She stared at the furiously blushing girl. "Even if I have told her many times to seek a more secluded place for praying." Leah's response was to cover her face with her palms.

"Ah... please my Lady Leah, it was not my intent to make you uncomfortable. I have only the greatest respect and admiration for the exploits of the Sorlyn."

"Thank you Anomen," Leah finally managed to gather herself. "I have been told that my prayer can often cause a rather... strong reaction in those listening. I will try to avoid exposing you to it in the future."

Even if everything in Anomen's posture suggested that he wished for quite the opposite, he didn't have the opportunity to voice it, as at that moment Yoshimo returned with a tray of dishes, carrying some simple breakfast for Jaheira and Leah. They had just managed to dig into their oatmeal and hard-boiled eggs, when a young red haired woman in a blue robe appeared on the stairs, climbing down and then approaching them in a determined step.

"That would be the employer number one," Yoshimo commented on the redhead's approach.

"Will you listen to my offer now?" the young woman pleaded in an exasperated voice. "I cannot believe we have wasted a day already!"

"We were in no condition to do anything for you before we had rested, I explained that to you once already," Jaheira said, feeling her brow furrowing in annoyance. "Now, I suggest that you tell your story again, so that our esteemed leader," she nodded at Leah, "can make her decision whether we can help you or not."

"Let me fetch you a seat, young lovely," Yoshimo reacted quickly, grabbing a chair from the next table and offering it to the redhead.

"I don't have time to sit around, time is of essence!" the woman exclaimed impatiently. From the way she was unconsciously wringing her hands, it was clear that she was under a lot of stress, but her manner somehow did not yield her much sympathy with Jaheira at least.

"Well, I am intent on finishing my breakfast, so you might as well sit because this will take a while," Leah said patiently. The other woman let out a deep sigh and sat down, then glaring at Yoshimo who _accidentally_ hadn't removed his hand from the chair in time. "Now, tell me what it is you want help with."

The young woman took a deep breath before starting with her tale. "My father is the lord of a small community outside Athkatla. Four days ago, our keep suddenly found itself under heavy attack, and my father ordered me to flee the blockade and seek what help I could find for he feared they would not be able to defend the keep on their own. By the time I left, already many of our well trained guards were dead."

"There is no one else who can help you?" Leah asked. "Not that I am refusing you outright, but we are not accustomed to battle invading armies."

"Surely the Order of the Radiant Heart would..." Anomen started, but was immediately interrupted by the impatient redhead.

"By the time your Order decides to act, my father will be dead and my family keep torn down to the last stone," she spat, earning an icy look from the squire.

"More questions, Lady... what is your name, if I may ask?" Leah wondered.

"Nalia. Nalia d'Arnise," the other woman replied.

"Well, Nalia, before we agree to anything, I would need to know more about the forces we'll be facing. What will we be up against?"

"I... I don't know much," Nalia spoke ruefully. "I think I escaped before we had truly understood the extent of the danger or the nature of our attackers. Hired mercenaries, I guess?"

Jaheira felt the brief look Leah shared with her, nodding almost imperceptibly. Something was amiss here. The girl's father would not have sent his daughter away unless he knew precisely what they were facing and what the dangers were. "Any information regarding the numbers of the attacking force would be helpful. I suppose we could handle it if there were only a few dozens of those orcs," Leah said.

"Did I say they were orcs?" Nalia looked surprised. "I'm sure I didn't, for they weren't orcs."

"But you just said that you didn't know who the attackers were, so they could have been orcs," Leah pointed out. Jaheira felt her lips tugging into a smile, noticing that Yoshimo was also giving Leah a look of appreciation.

"I... err, yes, I guess they might have been orcs," Nalia stammered, thrown off-balance.

"Look girl," Jaheira decided to cut in. "I strongly advise you to be honest with us. It will pay off in the long run, trust me."

Nalia covered her face with trembling hands, her shoulders sagging. "They'll refuse, they will turn me away… they all have," she whispered. "My family keep… has been invaded by trolls," finally she admitted, struggling not to break down in tears.

Jaheira shared another look with Leah. They both knew that trolls were dangerous opponents, but on the other hand, eliminating them would also likely be worth a handsome payment and gold was of issue. Leah had apparently reached a similar conclusion. "Save your tears, Lady Nalia," she said. "For five thousand gold we will rid your family's estate from the troll filth."

Nalia removed her hands from her face, looking at Leah. "Three thousand. Five if you manage to save my father."

"Four, six if we manage to save your father. Now, do we have a deal or not?"

"Fine," Nalia snapped. "An exorbitant amount, and what you do is nothing but extortion, however, I am out of options," she added with her best 'filthy money-grubbing mercenaries of dubious morals' stare directed at their whole group. Jaheira could see Leah chewing on her lip, pondering a biting retort, but finally patience prevailed.

"I understand that time is of issue, but we will need most of this day to prepare ourselves for the trip, we lack some of the basic travelling supplies like tents and rations," Leah explained. "We should be ready to move out in the afternoon."

"I suppose that is acceptable," Nalia said, sounding a little resigned. "Do you wish me to travel with you? It would save having to explain directions, also, I have some skill with magic and lockpicking." Yoshimo's eyebrows rose slightly at those words.

"We have been looking for a mage," Leah admitted. "Your skills would surely come in handy to put those trolls down for good. Tell me, have you the permission of those wizards to cast spells while in the city?"

"You must mean the magic license," the redheaded mage said. "I'm afraid no, it costs a fortune to procure and I would have never been able to ask my father for such amount of gold… not for this purpose anyway... and he is probably the only person aside from my tutor who even knows I am knowledgeable in the Art."

"Well, I just thought I'd ask," Leah shrugged. "Tell you what, once we're done here, we will be taking a trip over to the Promenade... Adventurer's Mart, that was the place, right Jaheira?" having received the nod, Leah continued. "Shopping shouldn't take us too long and after we are done with it, we can start marching towards your family lands. How long is the journey?"

"On feet, it shouldn't be more than a day," Nalia replied. "I think now that everything is settled, I will return upstairs and gather my things." With that she rose and all but ran back upstairs, no doubt relieved to have secured the help, despite whatever her objections to the price of such aid might be.

"You didn't handle that too badly," Jaheira admitted, giving Leah a pat on the shoulder. "And I doubt I would have been as patient with that brat."

"The lessons in restraint are purely for your benefit, my dear friend," the priestess grinned at her, incorrigible as ever.

"So she fancies herself to have some skill in thievery, does she?" Yoshimo grinned. "This should be interesting to see."

"Bah! I doubt the fool girl even asked the Order for help," Anomen was fuming. "I refuse to believe my fellow knights and squires would refuse an opportunity to administer justice to creatures as wicked as trolls."

"Minsc is just happy to have plenty of troll buttocks being lined up for kicking," the big ranger sounded delighted at the prospect of bloody battle. "Also, Boo says that you can buy a lot of nuts for six thousand gold. Oh... err, Boo says that was not meant for you all to hear."

While Leah was busy coughing up the bits of oatmeal she had swallowed while laughing, suddenly a garishly dressed individual emerged from the gathering of people at the bar and approached them, a haughty looking noble, carrying himself with confidence and disdain for his current surroundings. The black haired middle-aged man headed straight for their table and without an invitation took the chair vacated by Nalia.

"I have an offer, if you are willing to listen," he started, in a voice that somehow felt persuasive and used to commanding. "My name is Lord Jierdan Firkraag, and I have need for ones such as you. My lands near the Windspear Hills have fallen under attack of vile ogres and orcs, and I require the aid of capable adventurers to clear them out."

"Mr. F.," Leah observed after a moment's pause. "You should keep your thugs on a shorter leash, my Lord. If they are so full of energy to pick fights with those that accidentally bump into them, perhaps you should have unleashed them on those ogres." For a moment, Jaheira was afraid her mouth was left hanging open from the surprise of hearing Leah speak so bluntly with the noble who clearly was of the type to not take kindly to dissent. But her respect for the younger woman had risen by a massive leap. It was good for Leah to be more forceful and standing up for herself.

"I noticed their bloody corpses outside," Lord Firkraag said, smiling thinly. "Regrettable, and I must apologize if they caused any trouble. But back to my offer… I am willing to pay ten thousand gold for successful completion of this task."

"Ten thousand?" Leah sounded incredulous. "You could have hired a small army with such a sum. Why choose us?"

"Because I don't want an army, I want you specifically," Firkraag answered.

"How and what do you know of me?" Leah pressed, looking uncomfortable. Clearly, while Yoshimo and Anomen knew nothing of her past exploits, this Firkraag seemed to have her at a disadvantage.

"Perhaps many here would choose to forget our recent troubles with Baldur's Gate, but not me. Your adventures along the Sword Coast are well known to me," Firkraag explained. "I know what you're capable of, and the gold I'm offering is the price I deem adequate for your skill."

"Is there a timetable for this task?" Leah asked. "Also, we will need directions."

"There is no specific deadline, but the sooner the better. This map here has all the information you'll need to arrive at my lands safely," he threw a piece of parchment on the table, before rising from his chair. "I hope to hear from you soon."

As the haughty nobleman retreated, the group exchanged glances between them. "Ten thousand gold is a great deal for simple monster slaying," Leah finally noted, finishing off the last remnants of her breakfast.

"I do not know what to make of this offer, and that worries me," Jaheira expressed her concerns. "It would be good to get out of the city, but..."

"Such occurrences are not uncommon in the more unruly regions of Amn," Anomen explained. "This Firkraag likely possesses coffers full of gold. If that is the only thing you're interested in, then I am sure a noble like him will deliver. For now, though, I find myself more curious about your role in the events mentioned by Lord Firkraag." Yoshimo could be seen nodding in assent to that.

"The road to Lady Nalia's keep should present us with ample opportunities to chat, Anomen," Leah answered. "I will try to satisfy your curiosity as we travel."

"Trolls or ogres or orcs, Minsc is having trouble deciding which buttocks of evil would be more deserving to be kicked," the bald ranger added. "But Boo liked the little girl much better than the shifty noble, just look, his whiskers are still twitching! We should help her first!"

"Minsc... Boo's whiskers are _always_ twitching... it is natural for hamsters," Jaheira sighed.

"No sir! This is no simple twitching, it is a Twitch of Distrust, followed by Scratching of Duplicity!"

"Your point is well taken, Minsc," Leah smiled, patting the ranger's hand. "We will help Nalia first, as agreed. Also, looks like we are all done here, so let's get our things and be on our way."

"Aye, my lady, glory and adventure await us," Anomen said, beaming a knightly smile at Leah. _Hmm, there might be an interest developing. I will have to watch this,_ Jaheira thought to herself.

"Go ahead Leah, I will catch up with you after I have paid for our rooms," Jaheira ushered the girl away from the table before walking over to the fat barkeep, idly and pointlessly polishing the horribly stained surface of the counter.

"Greetings, Bernard," she said quietly. The man answered with a curt nod. She withdrew her money pouch and counted several coins leaving them on the counter, and as the man reached to take them, Jaheira quickly slipped a piece of parchment into his hand. "Account of my... adventures over the past four months," she whispered. "I am sure someone will find them interesting. Also, tell our friends that I will be gone from the city for a few days, in case anyone tries to make contact."

Bernard nimbly pocketed the piece of paper. "Will do, Jaheira," he said. "We thought we had lost you."

"No, you did not lose me," she answered, turning around, feeling tears starting to well in her eyes. "But you did lose someone."


	5. Chapter 5

Having finished admiring herself in the mirror, Leah finally left one of the Promenade's barbershops and slowly started climbing down the stone steps to the lower levels where the Adventurer's Mart expanded amongst the many smaller shops. She felt strange, having done away with her once beautiful long hair, but it had been ruined beyond repair, and now she had to settle for a much shorter, almost tomboyish haircut, accompanied with a tiny, stubborn looking ponytail on her back. It made her look a lot more businesslike, at least, and less of a naive daydreamer that Jaheira sometimes suggested she was.

Her companions were likely still busy purchasing travelling supplies, a task that Jaheira was always happy to take on and Leah was glad for it, not feeling terribly rushed to rejoin her friends. Instead, her feet led her all the way to the centre of the Promenade, where the large yellow circus tent loomed, surrounded by cages of trained animals, carts of supplies and several tents housing the staff and the performers. Leah rather enjoyed the bustle of the circus, as sometimes it presented her with an opportunity to pick off a new song from some performing bard, like during their visit to the faire in Nashkel. Curious, she traversed the path between supply carts, arriving at the entrance to the largest of the tents, before finding her further advance barred by a worried looking guard.

"I'm sorry miss, but the circus has been closed off until further notice," the guard, young man in his early twenties, explained, casting a concerned glance at the entrance behind him. "No one goes in or out until we've an idea of what's going on in there. Now, off you go."

"Why, what's wrong?" Leah inquired, trying to appear as friendly as possible.

"We don't rightly know," the guard shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "The few folks who got out spoke of some magical act going wrong or something. We've called in those wizards to sort this out..." the man seemed deeply unhappy at the mere mention of the Cowled Ones. "But they're late. Ah, surely it's ill luck to even discuss this!"

Leah stepped aside, pondering for a moment, before speaking up again. "I have been able to help out with things like these in the past," she then told the guard who stared at her sceptically. "I am a healer of no small skill, I assure you."

"I really shouldn't allow you to do that, it could be very dangerous," the guard did not relent.

"Well, look at it this way, if I manage to solve this for you, you won't have to stand here so close to all that evil magic and worry about it bringing you bad luck, right?" Leah tried.

"Hmm, now that is true..." the guard nodded after a moment's thought. "Just don't come complaining to me if you get yourself killed or worse!"

"I won't, promise," Leah grinned. "Oh, I wonder, would there be a reward for doing this?"

"I don't have the authority or the funds to issue rewards to crazy adventurers who insist on getting themselves killed," the young man said. Then a thought seemed to occur to him. "But I could put in a word with Inspector Brega, should you prove fortunate. I'm sure he can spare some coin."

"Right, thanks," as the guard stepped aside to allow her access into the tent, Leah briefly wondered if perhaps she should have brought the rest of her group with her. _But then again, how dangerous could some circus magician be? Besides, I am only going to scout around for a bit. Should things prove too dangerous, I'll just simply retreat and then return with my trusty companions._

As she closed the curtain of the entrance behind her and turned to look at the view facing her, she was quite stunned to see an elaborate marble bridge leading across to a massive dome with a cupola shaped roof, far larger in its size than the tent she had just entered. _Ah, wonderful, seems like we're actually dealing with a powerful illusionist,_ she realized. _I better call in the others for this._ With that, Leah turned around, and much to her chagrin realized that the exit had been magically sealed off, she could only see smooth wall surrounding her as far as the view stretched. _Ah... typical, I really should have seen that one coming._

_Well… guess I'll just have to sort this out myself then,_ she decided, starting towards the bridge in a determined step, but then halting. _Of course... I'm nearly out of spells, because Jaheira forced me to mend my scars, since we weren't going to face any combat today!_ She slapped her forehead in exasperation. _Okay, it's official, I'm a hapless fool of a girl._ Leah sighed inwardly, before carefully moving on across the bridge.

* * *

"Ow, ow, ow... these things sure hurt a lot for illusions," Leah complained a while later, sitting down on a fluffy Calishite carpet, that was probably also just an illusion, but at least unlike all the other illusions it wasn't actively trying to kill her.

"Heh, n-no the werewolves are the illusions," a young elven girl was crouching over her, healing a bloody gash on Leah's thigh, her own healing spells exhausted long ago. "Those shadow creatures are quite real, you can be sure of that."

"Hopefully there aren't many of them left," Leah said, getting up slowly. "If these things don't kill me, Jaheira probably will, once she learns of my stupidity," she muttered under her breath.

Navigating this maze of illusions had been a real challenge thus far. Leah had managed to find and free several of the circus staff, but only one of them had been of some usefulness to her, the girl Aerie accompanying her right now. The elf had some skill in both magical and clerical arts, a rare combination, but one that Leah was quite glad to have with her. Many of their opponents in this maze were mere illusions, and so the ability to dispel them became priceless, Leah holding them off from the petite elf and absorbing their very real feeling blows until Aerie's magic took effect.

The girl had also been able to shed some light on the events that were the cause of the whole debacle. Apparently, one of the performers, a gnome named Kalah, had grown bitter over the years due to the real or perceived mistreatment by his fellow co-workers and one day, triggered by yet another insult, this bitterness had spilled over and taken form in a bloody revenge against his tormentors. This Kalah had also taken as prisoner Aerie's uncle, who was also the owner of this circus, hence the girl's insistence to accompany her on this perilous task.

"Well, let's get a move on," Leah urged, leading the elf onwards, up another case of steps. "This Kalah can't be far off now."

"I h-hope not, I'm running out of spells," Aerie said, sounding a little less assured of their success than before.

Fortunately, Leah for once was proven right. Kalah, together with some of his conjured creatures awaited them, but now that they already knew most of them to be illusions, Aerie's dispelling magic quickly evened the field of battle. Leah, completely drained of all spells, even those granted by her dark heritage, was forced to do battle in the melee, finally succeeding in awkwardly bashing in Kalah's skull with her club. As the misguided gnome fell, everything around them, including the shadow creatures still beating on her, twisted, shimmered and then disappeared. For a moment, Leah felt like being caught in a swirling whirlpool that eventually threw her down on the sawdust covered floor of the real circus tent.

Around and above her, there was now a terrible ruckus, the circus staff and some of the visitors rushing to get out of the tent while they still could, unaware that the danger had been dealt for good. Some of them nearly trampled Leah in their frantic rushing to escape, the girl unable to stand, sharp pain jolting her somewhere in the left knee and hip whenever she tried to rise. For the lack of better ideas, she simply decided to lie there and hope that someone would eventually notice her. As she turned her head to the left, she could see the prone body of the dead illusionist lying next to her. Kalah looked so tiny, helpless and peaceful in his death. Without much thought, Leah crawled a little closer and started to rummage through his belongings, but there was not much to salvage, a few gold coins and a ring that appeared magically enchanted.

The excited and relieved shouting of the crowd slowly died down, and through it she could hear Aerie's voice, talking animatedly with a man whose high pitched squeak of a voice was indicative of a gnome. Leah briefly pondered calling for aid, getting slightly bored of simply lying around, when she suddenly heard another familiar voice. "The guard told me that someone matching her description had entered," that was Yoshimo, she could not mistake his accent for anything.

"Verily, it seems as if a great battle has been fought h-... Lady Leah!" Anomen was the first to notice her lying on the ground.

"I'm fine, just resting a bit," Leah called out to them. "Take your time. Everyone else seems to."

"She's alright. Good, that means I can strangle her for being foolishly irresponsible," that could be no one else but Jaheira.

"Somehow I knew you were going to say that," Leah chuckled weakly. The leg was starting to hurt quite a lot by know. "Could you heal me before all that strangling, though?"

"Allow me, my Lady," Anomen was quick to drop on his knees beside her. One furious chant later, she could feel the pleasant sensation of soothing chill spreading through her leg, quickly working to mend her wounds. Anomen held out his hand, helping her rise from the floor. "And if I just may add, your new haircut looks especially lovely, my Lady," he added, holding on to her hands for a lingering moment.

"Thank you, Anomen," she smiled back. "I trust you had a productive session of shopping?"

"Minsc has a new helmet with less dents than the old one!" the big ranger cheerfully announced. "Also, Boo has a new hamster wheel, and it is less squeaky too! But Minsc is sad that little Leah did not leave a single evil clown butt to be gloriously walloped."

"Don't worry, Minsc, tomorrow we'll be busy kicking trolls left and right," Leah grinned, turning to leave the tent, but finding someone insistently tugging on her sleeve. She turned around to stare into Aerie's nervously smiling face.

"Leah, could I ask you something?" she said. "You're an adventurer, right?"

"Yes... against my better judgment, it seems."

"I have been thinking and talking things over with my uncle Quayle," she pointed at the busy looking gnome, ordering around some of the performers. "He thinks it might be time for me to leave the circus behind and go see a little of the world outside it, and I... I guess the thought of it sounds appealing? So I was wondering... if you would happen to have a place in your group for a magic user like me... I would be glad to travel with you."

"Mmm, license to cast magic in the city?" Leah inquired. Aerie shook her head sadly. "Right, just give me a moment to discuss it with the others then," Aerie nodded to that, retreating back to her uncle and resuming speaking with him.

Leah quickly called Jaheira aside, breaking into a hushed conversation with the druidess. "The girl," she nodded towards the blonde elf, "wants to come with us. See the world, have a grand adventure, you know, that sort of thing." Jaheira looked sceptical. "Yes, I know, she's probably very naive and inexperienced, but she can do both arcane and divine magic."

"We hardly need more healers," Jaheira mused, still looking unconvinced. "But more magic would be useful against the trolls and I am reluctant to rely on this Nalia alone."

"Let's give her a try then, see how she performs and decide after that," Leah said, turning around and walking towards the elf. "Aerie, gather your belongings, make sure you have everything for several days outside the city," she told the girl who looked overexcited at the news.

"Just give me a few minutes!" Aerie exclaimed, dashing out of the tent before turning around. "I won't disappoint you, I promise!" she added.

"I trust you'll take care of my girl," the gnome stared up at her expectantly.

"As much as I can, though I expect everyone in my group to pull their own weight," Leah replied with a shrug. _Also, thanks for rescuing me and clearing this mess in my circus! Would you like a reward?_ She added mentally.

"That is all I ask," the gnome nodded, readjusting his monocle and turning the attention back to his scattered troupe. "She's really quite bright, you know. I have no idea how I'll be able to run things here with her gone, I have grown to rely on her so much."

Leah listened for a while as Aerie's uncle continued to sing praises for the girl, before finally politely excusing her and stepping outside the large tent, where the rest of her companions waited on her. _If Aerie is so incredibly amazing, I wonder how come he's sending her away so easily,_ Leah thought. _Uncle or no, he has a business to run and it's not typical for his kind to be charitable. Then again, maybe he does care for the girl and wants what's best for her. But why would he think that her future is in adventuring, though? It can be extremely dangerous, as Nalia's task will undoubtedly prove._

Looking around, Leah noticed that the guard outside the tent had already left, no doubt very relieved about the resolution of this incident. _I wonder what are the chances he'll actually mention my involvement to that Brega person,_ Leah wondered. _Probably very slim, more likely he'll just try to steal the glory for himself and earn a promotion._

"Leah, I used some of our gold to purchase a few things aside the travel supplies we needed," Jaheira approached her. "Some of the armor we recovered in that dungeon was in poor shape, nearly disintegrating. Minsc needed a new helmet and chainmail and I bought some simple gauntlets for myself."

"Makes sense, no need to report to me for every coin spent, you know that," Leah said idly.

"Well, I also bought you this," the druidess said, handing Leah a nicely curved sword with a malachite encrusted pommel. "You are quite useless with that club, you can't hit or block anything. We need you to fight with something you are familiar with, if you are to be of any use."

"Ouch, that was a very frank appraisal!" Leah laughed, taking the sword and making a few experimental swings. "A falchion? Has a nice balance to it, I like."

"An interesting choice of weapon, my Lady," Anomen wondered. "Does Milil prefer his clerics to use bladed weapons?"

"I doubt it's the foremost in his mind when measuring the devotion of his followers," Leah smiled at her fellow healer. "I just wish people would use those blunt weapons less in general. I've healed quite a few injuries caused by flail swings, and they were... not pretty," she shuddered at the memory of some of those wounds, Minsc's shoulder smashed so badly that he could not lift a sword for a ten-day even with intensive healing, or bones in Khalid's elbow shattered so thoroughly that he had nearly lost his right hand.

Anomen looked as if he wanted to add something, but at that very moment Leah noticed Aerie emerging from one of the tents, backpack slung over her shoulder and a plain wooden staff in her hands, approaching them in a determined step. "I think we are ready to leave," Leah called out to alert everyone. "Grab your belongings, everyone! Next stop is d'Arnise Keep!"


	6. Chapter 6

It was a lovely Flamerule afternoon, sun high in the sky, but not yet blazing in the full heat of summer, instead warming their shoulders pleasantly as the group walked in a brisk pace down the road leading away from the gates of Athkatla. The farmlands surrounding the great city stretched as far as the eye could see and it was only after several hours of hard walking that more forested areas started to come into their view, Nalia referring to these lands as fox hunting grounds of the bored nobility who lacked courage to test themselves against something more challenging.

Getting through the city gates had been somewhat daunting experience, their passage delayed by crowds that had formed due to the insistence of the guards, thoroughly searching everyone entering the city, or at least continuing the search until the victim produced a suitable bribe. One good thing had come out of this delay, however, when Minsc and Boo introduced the rest of the group to a man from the nearby city of Trademeet who had come to Athkatla seeking help at the behest of the mayor of his city. It appeared as this Trademeet was under heavy attack from the wildlife inhabiting the forests next to the city, and many inclined to believe that local druids were at fault, inciting the animals into attacking, even if no one could guess their motivation for doing so. Jaheira had been quite incensed about this implication and looked determined to clear the sullied name of everything druidic, so Leah expected that her friend would insist on a trip to Trademeet very soon. Which suited her fine, since the man had mentioned that the mayor was a very wealthy man and willing to pay a large reward for this task.

So far things had been going as smoothly as Leah could have hoped, but still, success was not guaranteed in any of the missions they had chosen to undertake, and it must have been the heavy crease in her brow from all the thinking that had attracted Jaheira's attention as the druidess silently moved next to Leah to walk in step with her. "Having thoughts, oh omnipresent authority figure?" she asked, Leah smiling at what she had once thought for an extremely irritating and purposefully insulting way of address.

"Just mentally adding up the gold from the rewards of our no doubt glorious missions to be," Leah replied, then taking a mouthful of water from the flask at her hip. "Six from Nalia, ten from Firkraag, and I bet we can shake just as much from the coffers of the mayor of Trademeet. Theoretically, that would put us above what the Shadow Thieves want."

"You know it is not as simple as that," the druidess said. "We have very little in the way of enchanted weapons and armour. Look at the rags I am wearing," Jaheira pointed at her chainmail, rusted in places and having a few holes, making it worryingly vulnerable in spots, the shield on the half-elf's back also having plenty of dents and looking as if one particularly heavy blow from an ogre would shatter it easily. "We will not last long against this Irenicus, wearing this junk."

"And to buy the kind of weapons and armor we left Baldur's Gate in…" Leah sighed.

"Will cost four, if not five times more than what the Shadow Thieves are asking," Jaheira finished for her, not sounding particularly happy.

"Your reality checks never fail to depress me, you know."

"It's what I am here for," Jaheira replied, allowing herself a small hint of smile. She then looked away, across the fields, her eyes drawn to the thin dark line of the forests on the horizon. "It has been some time since I have been this far south. I recall seeing Gorion here some years ago," she stopped talking and laughed, a strange, strained chortle. "He was so out of place away from his books, but..." she looked at Leah again, misreading her thoughtful expression for one of sadness. "It seems I cannot help but speak of the dead lately. I did not wish to cause you any distress."

"What? You did nothing of the sort, " Leah shook her head vehemently. "I no longer remember Gorion with sadness, despite... despite his end. There are other… more recent losses, that plague my mind."

Jaheira nodded, her green eyes shining as she spoke her next words. "Gorion would not have wished his memory to cause pain, and I... I think the same is true for Khalid."

"I'm sure it is. We won't let the dead take us living ones with them, will we?" Leah offered her friend a sombre smile. "What was it that Gorion told me, when he spoke of those close to him he had lost... 'Shoulder not such a weight, but if you must, place it in a sturdy pack and not loose in your arms. So it would be behind you, but still with you, and would not obscure your vision.'"

Jaheira smiled in return. "That does sound like something Gorion would say. But enough of this maudlin for now," she said, clearly unwilling to indulge in the memories any longer. "Still... it is good having someone to talk with. Someone who will understand," she added quietly.

Leah reached out and briefly squeezed her friend's hand. "Anytime, Jaheira," she said. Then she looked at the rest of the group, walking ahead of them, Minsc at the front, followed by Nalia and Anomen, then Aerie and Yoshimo, the Kara-Turan relentlessly trying to impress the young elf with his fanciful tales. Leah suddenly felt the need to distract herself from the gloomy mood the memories had put her in, and she had also promised to speak to Anomen during their travels. "You wouldn't mind if I caught up with the others?" she asked, Jaheira simply shaking her head in answer.

With that Leah increased her pace, swiftly catching up with those in front. "Beautiful day, is it not?" she offered conversationally, coming into step with Nalia and Anomen.

"Aye, 'tis most suited for a walk such as this," the squire replied, looking very pleased for her sudden choice to accompany them. Nalia had been keeping quiet until now, and she continued to ignore Leah's appearance, her thoughts obviously resting with the fate of her father and the holdings of her family.

"You asked me a question earlier, and I promised you am answer," Leah started, looking at Anomen, knowing that there was no sense in delaying this talk. "If you are still interested, I could tell you a little of my travels across the Sword Coast."

"I would be delighted to hear about your adventures, my lady," Anomen said. "Perhaps afterwards, I could tell you of some of my own exploits."

"That sounds acceptable," Leah nodded. "You did hear Firkraag mentioning the near state of war between Amn and Baldur's Gate last year, did you not? A situation defused by the demise of the leaders of the Iron Throne, an organization of wealthy Sembian merchants of ill repute."

"Yes, I do remember those tales, my lady, conflicting as they were. Some of the most outrageous exaggerations placed the entire success in the hands of some shady adventurous troupe," Anomen's voice was full of purest honesty and innocence even as he uttered the words that made Leah wince inwardly. Next to them, she saw Nalia shaking her head, implying that she had been listening intently the whole time.

"Well... that part is actually true," Leah said quietly. Anomen gave her a dubious stare. "Of course, I have no idea how that story has grown with telling by the time it reached your ears. But yes, it took a great effort and heroic deeds by all of my comrades for us to defeat the leaders of the Iron Throne." As she spoke, Minsc suddenly withdrew the Sword of Chaos from his back, startling them all as he brandished it in the air proudly. "That sword..." she paused, swallowing hard. "That sword belonged to Sarevok Anchev, one of the Iron Throne leaders."

"I feel I should apologize, my lady, it seems your achievements are admirable indeed and I hope to learn more about your adventures in time," Anomen gallantly recovered from his earlier slip-up. "I do have a question, however, if I may," having received a nod from her, Anomen continued, "I know for a fact that in the coming months after the war with Baldur's Gate was averted, Amn sent their representatives to strengthen the truce, renew trade agreements and amongst all, also express gratitude to those who had been so instrumental in preserving the peace. This is known to me because a member of the Order of the Radiant Heart was a part of this delegation, however... this group of adventurers was nowhere to be found and dark tales surrounded their leave of Baldur's Gate, speaking of mysterious disappearance..."

Leah felt the colour slowly draining from her cheeks as the memory forced itself upon her. "It must have been roughly four months ago." Anomen nodded. "We... we had just left Baldur's Gate and were about to set up our camp a little south of Ulgoth's Beard. Suddenly, out of nowhere came an attack and we were captured, drugged and brought to Athkatla, locked in a dungeon under the Promenade, where we have been imprisoned for four long months, until our escape yesterday."

Anomen offered her a sympathy filled look and she continued, feeling very week in her knees. "Two of my companions perished in that accursed place," she could see Minsc's shoulders slumping at her words. "And the third was captured by the Cowled Wizards, because she sought to protect herself and all of us from the wizard that had kept us as his prisoners. Imoen was... like a sister to me. And I will not rest until I have freed her from their grasp."

"Rest assured, my lady, I will do all in my powers to aid you in this journey. A great injustice has been done to you and your friends, and I do not believe that the knights of the Order could find a more deserving task for me to undertake than this," Anomen said earnestly. _He may sound very pompous, but his heart seems to be kind and pure,_ Leah thought at that.

"Anomen is right, it is horrible, and I have no love for those oppressive wizards," Nalia spoke with determination, the persecutions against magic users undoubtedly a sensitive topic with her. "After we have saved my keep and rescued my father, I would be delighted to lend my hand to your aid, if you would have me."

"Thank you, Nalia," Leah said, looking at the young mage. "Earlier, you made objections about the size of the reward we were requesting." Nalia looked a little uneasy at these words. "Fair your concerns might be, know that I do not hoard this gold for myself. I have been made an offer by a... group of powerful individuals, who have promised to lead me to Imoen for the price of twenty thousand gold."

Nalia let out a sharp whistle, not very becoming to a noblewoman. "In that case I am not surprised, Leah," she said. "It is a worthy goal. I will see if I can spare anything beyond that which was already promised, but be aware that the attackers might be plundering my family's wealth as we speak."

"Group of powerful individuals?" Anomen asked. "Could you be more specific, my lady? I am sure that the Order would be willing to help as well, once they have heard of your predicament."

"If you believe so, I suppose there is no harm in asking," Leah said. "As for my mysterious benefactors, I am quite sure they are involved with the Shadow Thieves."

Anomen's face contorted in distaste at the mention of that name. "Shadow Thieves are not the savoury type of individuals that you should be associating with, my lady," he said, unaware of the dangerous glint in Leah's eyes, a sure sign of her annoyance with his patronizing words. "Not when there is an opportunity to enlist the aid of the greatest force for righteousness in the whole of Faerun."

"You'll have to forgive my heinous negligence, Anomen," Leah said, all too sweetly. "But until our meeting last night, I was not aware your Order even existed. Now that you have made me aware of this option, sure, let us explore it once we return to Athkatla. But I will ask you not to judge my actions when all I want is to have the one person closest to me rescued from the clutches of those awful wizards," towards the end of her speech, Leah had to exert a certain amount of self control to avoid tears spilling over her cheeks, thoughts and worries about Imoen making it hard for her to speak.

Anomen kept silent for a while before he spoke again. "Your words are wise, my lady, and I am thankful for them. If anything would happen to the one closest to my heart, I can only hope to retain as sound judgment as you have displayed ever since our meeting."

While Leah felt a little curious, it felt far too intrusive to ask whether he had meant someone particular being close to his heart. _A gallant, good-looking knight in shiny armor probably has more than a few high society ladies lusting after him,_ she mused. "Perhaps you could tell me more of your adventures, Anomen?" she asked some time later, deciding that a change of topic was in order.

"There is precious little to tell yet, although my few adventures have been glorious, indeed," Anomen started. "The path to knighthood is a long one, however, hence the need for my travels."

"Is joining a ragtag group of adventurers a commonly accepted way for a would-be knight to prove himself?" Leah wondered. "Mistake me not, I am glad to have you with us, but I was rather surprised to find someone like yourself in the Copper Coronet."

A shadow seemed to briefly pass across Anomen's handsome face. "Perhaps not a common practice, but it is tolerated, if not encouraged. Not all senior knights and paladins can be expected to tutor a squire, and there are many seeking admittance into the Order."

 _I swear there must be more to this than he's telling._ "Oh, I see," she just said instead. "I apologize for interrupting, do go on."

As Anomen embarked on a long and quite fanciful tale about his nearly single-handed conquest of the orc tribes in Ommlur Hills, Leah found herself wondering if the otherwise pleasant warrior-priest's overconfidence and hubris would not prove too difficult to handle. The dream of becoming a full-fledged member of the Order seemed to be more important to him than anything else, and he was harshly defensive of anything that might cast even the tiniest doubt of his own worthiness or something that questioned the reputation of his beloved and idealized Order. It seemed that even making innocent quips about anything Order related was strongly frowned upon, Anomen's poorly developed sense of humour disappearing completely as soon as the Radiant Heart became involved. _Ah well... I can only hope that with time in our company he'll learn to relax a little,_ Leah thought, sighing inwardly.

They kept talking as the journey continued, the farmlands growing scarcer now and grassy plains with the occasional patch of trees spreading around them. The edge of the forest was growing in the distance, now not more than several hours of walk away, but the sunset was not far off either. Having spoken some more to Anomen, with Nalia's occasional interjections, Leah was about to slow her pace and rejoin Jaheira at the tail end of the group, when suddenly something occurred to her.

"Nalia, you must be well informed on Amnish nobility, all sorts of gossip and such included?" she turned to the young mage.

"Not that well... I try to avoid contact with those of my station, limiting it only to that which is absolutely necessary. I much prefer spending my time 'slumming' as Auntie calls it, trying to help those less fortunate," Nalia replied. "But I suppose I do know a little, why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you have heard anything about Lord Jierdan Firkraag," Leah said.

Nalia pondered her answer for a long while, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "I think he's one of those landowners from south-eastern Amn, so he doesn't really show himself in Athkatla often. I don't think anyone knows him very well. He is somewhat of a newcomer to the scene. Doesn't have the best reputation, but then again amongst the nobility, who does?"

Still walking, Leah took the backpack off her shoulders and started to rummage through it until she had found Firkraag's map. She handed it to Anomen, urging him to pass it further on to Nalia. "He mentioned marking his lands on that map, does that look about right?"

Nalia kept studying the map as she walked, her pace gradually slowing until Aerie bumped into her from the behind, the elf quickly apologizing and moving aside. "I guess it could be right, though I'm certain that the exact marking is wrong, those should be the Windspear lands," the redhead explained, the look on her face a little uncertain. "I mean... at least they used to be Windspear lands still quite recently. They owned a granite quarry at the foothills and my father dealt with the Windspear family when we needed materials to renovate parts of the inner keep fortifications."

"Perhaps Firkraag simply put the mark down in a slightly wrong spot," Leah offered. "Can't expect a noble to be a grand cartographer, I suppose!"

"Yes, I think you're right," Nalia agreed. "If Lord Firkraag has any lands to his name, they should be in the vicinity of the Windspear holdings. I'm sure you'll be able to track them down easily enough."

Leah just nodded, thanking the mage as she placed the map back into her sack again, throwing the heavy bag back on her shoulders. Somehow Nalia's words hadn't exactly reassured her of Lord Jierdan Firkraag's trustworthiness.

After several more miles of walking, Leah rejoined Jaheira at the rearguard of the group, continuing in comfortable silence, both of them slowly growing exhausted from the long day of walking. In front of them, Minsc showed no sign of stopping, while Anomen seemed to be consciously striving not to display any sign of tiredness. Yoshimo seemed annoyingly cool and well capable of walking all night, while Nalia was starting to occasionally stumble, however, her drive to rescue her father obviously forced her to ignore all that pain mounting in her legs.

Aerie was doing the worst, though, the elf beginning to suffer terribly, her boots not exactly best suited for long travels and combined with her lack of endurance, Leah could well imagine that the state of her feet was close to abysmal by now. It wasn't long before the young elf turned to her, pained expression on her face. "How much longer must we walk still? My feet are aching so badly!"

Leah looked around, it was starting to get dark but she had hoped to keep up for an hour or two more. "How bad is it?" she asked.

"I w-would really prefer if we'd stopped," Aerie said unhappily.

Leah exchanged a glance with Jaheira. "We will have to stop sooner or later," the druidess said. "But the more distance we cover today, the sooner we can reach the Keep tomorrow."

Leah turned back to Aerie. "Look, I know it's probably hurting a great deal, but every hour we gain today could save more lives tomorrow. If you tell me that your hurting feet are more important than that, then I will call for a stop immediately," she said. "If not, we'll keep walking for another hour and set up camp then."

Aerie stared at her for a bit, looking hurt. "T-there is no need to be so harsh," she sniffed. "But a-alright, I will endure."

"I'm sorry if I upset you, Aerie, but as I told you before, adventuring is not an all sunshine and rainbows. I'm afraid that you will have to toughen up very quickly," Leah said apologetically before exchanging another look with Jaheira, but the druidess merely shrugged. _Was that really so harsh of me?_ Leah wondered at herself. _I suppose, but maybe the constant 'Jaheira-treatment' has made me so numb to harshness that I dish it out myself without realizing it!_

In the end, Aerie only lasted a little more than half an hour, and most of that was while being supported by the always-helpful Yoshimo. After the elven priestess had declared herself unable to walk a single yard further, Minsc had scooped her up in his mighty arms, the girl too tired to protest, and proceeded to carry her the rest of the way, Aerie eventually falling asleep in his arms. Having reached the edge of the forest, they quickly lit a campfire, set up tents, rolled out their sleeping bags and mere minutes later everyone was fast asleep under the watchful eyes of Minsc, taking the first guard shift.


	7. Chapter 7

The campfire crackled merrily in the dark of the night, the first light of dawn still several hours away. Despite the peaceful mood surrounding the campsite, Jaheira was sitting on a log with a tense expression on her face, the druid's attention focused on the tent she was sharing with her young charge. Sounds of restless tossing and turning, accompanied with the occasional sob had been reaching her delicate half-elven ears for the best part of the last hour, and she was torn between waking Leah from her nightmare or maintaining the hope that it would pass and the girl would be able to get some uninterrupted sleep.

Everything had gone quiet for a brief while now and Jaheira slowly started to relax, assuming that whatever dreams had been plaguing Leah, had retreated. The reason for silence soon became apparent, however, when the young priestess crawled out of their tent, well awake. Wearing only a light tunic, Leah's forehead and bare arms shone in the light of campfire, the girl drenched in cold sweat from her nightmares. Leah smoothened out her dishevelled hair before looking up and making eye contact with the druidess.

Without a word, the girl crawled across the small clearing on all fours and perched on the log next to Jaheira. The druidess picked up a thick wool shirt she had discarded a while ago when the campfire had started to become too warm for her and placed it around Leah's shoulders, the girl looking up at her gratefully.

"Nightmares," Jaheira said a while later, having waited for Leah to calm down. "I would not try to intrude upon your memories, however, your dreams have proven to have a certain significance and impact on us all in the past."

Leah looked at the druidess again, opening her mouth to speak only to have a tremor run through the young priestess, forcing her to pause. Jaheira put her hand on the girl's shoulder. By Silvanus, she was shivering like a leaf. Without much thought, she put her arms around Leah, pulling the young woman closer. "T-thanks," Leah managed a while later. "A truly strange one this time... I... I am not sure I can make sense of it all."

"Tell me what you can," Jaheira urged gently.

"I was back in Candlekeep... or some weird, twisted version of it... Imoen was there with me," Leah paused for a moment before continuing. "And Gorion, Elminster... and Khalid," Jaheira felt her grip on the girl tightening minutely. "There was Sarevok too, as well as... the mage, Irenicus. He... he was leading me around the courtyard... telling me how my old life did not matter, repeating it again and again as he killed them all in my dream."

"Ha can't hurt you now," Jaheira whispered in the girl's ear. "It was only a dream."

"I just don't know what he meant, Jaheira... what old life am I clinging to? Did he mean that... if I accept who I am..." she pulled a little away, casting a fearful glance at the rest of their companions, but they were all sleeping soundly. "If I would just become what I was born to be, then anything I've done prior to that... I guess it would not matter."

"So, you think this dream was also fuelled by your heritage."

"I don't know..." Leah's reply, more of a strangled sob.

"I think your experiences in the care of this Irenicus would alone be reason for dreadful nightmares, your unique traits or not," Jaheira mused. "It seemed as if he was hell-bent on somehow releasing your essence, for whatever infernal purpose it might be. You might have just remembered something he was ranting at you during one of those... sessions with him."

"I... I suppose. Oh, Jaheira... and then, Imoen stared at me, her eyes so accusing when she claimed I would come too late... right before Irenicus turned her into stone and shattered it into a pile of rubble," Leah started sobbing again.

"It was your fear talking," Jaheira said, gently rocking the girl, almost like cradling a babe. "I worry about her too, though obviously the two of you are like sisters. But you must try and console yourself in the knowledge that we are doing all we can to rescue her as soon as possible."

"Are we?" Leah looked up at her. "Yes... I suppose we have been busy." She seemed to calm down then, allowing Jaheira to eventually release her. The girl sat alongside her quietly for a while. "Say, Jaheira... it just occurred to me, this isn't your guard shift, why are you even up at this hour?"

"I, ah... could not sleep," the druidess replied evasively.

"Really now," Leah looked at her a little accusingly. "You listened to me, now let me do the same for you, please."

"It is nothing, truly," she tried to downplay the subject, but of course, the girl was a stubborn one and when she had set her mind on something, rarely let go. _I do wonder from where she has gotten those traits? She was nothing like that when we just met._

"Jaheira..." there was a teasing warning in Leah's voice, one that was difficult to ignore. She did not particularly want to relive the whole experience of her own dreams again, waking up in the middle of the night with her tunic soaked in sweat and clinging to her skin, breathing slow and ragged, all of it had been incredibly unpleasant. And to have that easterner witness it made it particularly embarrassing. At least Yoshimo had the good sense not to make a single comment on it, withdrawing back into his tent when she had stated her intent to take over the guard duty from him, knowing that she would see no more sleep this night.

"It was… quite cruel, in a way," Jaheira said quietly, closing her eyes as she spoke. "I was reliving the events of the previous days, only with Khalid at my side. Silvanus, it felt so real, he said the words and did the things that I know he would do in those exact situations... and then, come evening we were about to retire together, when the realization dawned on me... he was not _truly_ there, never would be again." She shook her head adamantly. "Stupid really, I thought I was stronger than this. I should be."

"No, that was quite cruel, as you said," Leah's brown eyes were full of deep all-encompassing sadness. "You know what they say, there is no weakness in honest sorrow."

"Only in succumbing to depression over what cannot be changed," Jaheira finished. "I have heard that before, Gorion again?"

"The prophecies of Alaundo he made me read," Leah nodded.

"I learned from the same book then, it seems," Jaheira smiled. "But worry not over me, I will be fine now. Thank you."

"Oh, I doubt I will just stop worrying because you say I shouldn't," Leah shook her head resolutely. "But we can agree to just keep looking out for each other, can't we?"

"I… yes, very well, we can do as much," Jaheira finally relented. It was of course preposterous to think that she needed looking after, especially by this girl who had been through so much and of whom she honestly could not expect any more, but Leah had always insisted on giving especially when it was she who needed so much herself. But, if it put Leah's mind at ease... there was no harm in agreeing to it, after all.

They sat together in comfortable silence, until the first light of dawn appeared through the thick canopy of the forests surrounding the campsite. Leah shifted restlessly, and she caught the girl's stare. "You wish to pray," she said, no explanations between the two necessary.

"Yes, I should," Leah nodded. "I'll just retreat a little away from the camp, I do not wish to wake anyone."

"I will go with you, not the whole way, but far enough to keep an eye both on you and the camp," Jaheira said, rising from the log and stretching, limbs having gone a little stiff from the hours spent sitting.

"Thanks," Leah said, heading towards the bushes and carefully picking her way through where the canopy seemed scarcer. Jaheira set to follow the girl, until together they found a suitable spot amidst thick brambles. Having picked off a handful of berries as she watched Leah settle on the ground, Jaheira retreated halfway back to the camp, choosing to stand with her shoulder against an old birch, slowly going through the picked blackberries, wincing at the sour taste.

The song of the young Sorlyn soon reached her ears again, forcing her to pause and listen. Leah's singing always tore at her heartstrings in a way that she both hated and still could not get enough of. The girl's rich, soft voice sang words in Elven now, an ancient lullaby of the People, perhaps as old as time itself. She knew this song, even if she did not know from where. Had her own elven mother sung it to her before she had been taken away, brought to safety into the care of the druids? She could not remember, having been too young. There were only sparse details, she could remember the touch, always gentle like caress, the smell of her mother's subtle perfume, a hint of lavender and sage, and that voice, rich like Leah's but without the unyielding strength, more like a gentle, soothing whisper.

 _But is that memory even true?_ She caught herself thinking. _Or is it just something I have created myself from the need to have such memories?_

She finally shook off the enthralling spell of Leah's singing, the remaining berries falling from her hand into the moss below. All this thinking that she had been doing lately, she did not need any of this, not when there was so much to do. She turned back towards the camp, seeing that by now someone else was up and stretching, the large frame suggesting Minsc. _Good,_ she thought, _we can get ready and going, doing something productive instead of this blasted soul searching._ She could hear the sounds of someone heavily pushing through the bushes behind her, Leah done with her prayers. _And it seems I am not the only one in dire need of a distraction._

* * *

From the distance of the small mound they were standing upon, not much indicated that the keep had already fallen, or that it was indeed under attack. There was no attacking force amassed outside, the drawbridge was raised and everything inside appeared quiet and calm. However, the possibility that the attack had been repelled and the invaders had retread evaporated once they had approached closer and saw the grizzly sight outside the road leading up to the gates. Bodies of dozen if not more horribly mutilated defenders of the keep were strapped to high poles alongside the road, a sign of warning to everyone and an effective way to break the morale of the remaining guards.

Her worst fears confirmed, Nalia was difficult to console, Aerie and Leah doing their best to reassure the young mage that not all hope was lost. As Jaheira's sharp eyes scanned the exterior of the keep, she was well aware that such hope was very faint indeed, though it could not be discarded entirely. There might very well be some small pockets of resistance within the inner keep, if only there would be a way to get inside other than knocking their heads against the heavy iron shod gates.

Having left Nalia with Aerie, Leah rejoined the druidess, Anomen following in her step. The young priestess looked grim at the realization that their task had just been made that much more difficult, and the extra reward for rescuing Nalia's father seemed almost certainly unattainable. Of course, knowing Leah, she was more disturbed by the heavy losses of human lives, likely including the lord of the keep, the girl fortunately still far from the ruthless detached practicality Jaheira had developed over her many seasons as an adventurer.

"'Tis abhorrent to think that a heinous act such as this can be performed right outside Athkatla, almost under the Council's noses," Anomen fumed, his fists tightly clenched. "Sometimes I do not understand why the Order does not take direct control of the Council. When I see an injustice like this, I think the Order could do far more to turn this into a fair and equitable land, don't you think?"

Jaheira glanced at Leah, the young squire obviously searching for her approval of his esteemed Order. "Aren't you afraid that the Order itself might become corrupted by the politics you mention?" the girl asked.

"Lady Leah, you clearly underestimate the purity of our hearts and the devotion to our ideals. The paladins and knights of Radiant Heart are incorruptible, and I hope in time you will see these words to be true," Anomen replied, his face flushing from what he obviously perceived as an insult to his beliefs. "But surely, my lady, even you must think that evil can be fought with more than just a sword?"

Leah looked very tired when she turned to answer him. "I don't know the answer to that, Anomen. Yes, I suppose?"

Jaheira quickly intervened before Anomen had the chance to add more about the greatness of the Radiant Heart. "I think what Leah is saying is that it would be ignorant for her to speak on matters of which she is not well informed," the girl looked at her, nodding in agreement. "She has spent the whole of two days in Amn, not much time in which to form an opinion on how well your Council governs its lands."

"I would have hoped that the questions I posed were general enough that anyone would be able to answer with the thoughts of greater good in mind," Anomen looked unconvinced, but then his expression softened just a little and he nodded at her. "Though I suppose your words hold merit. Perhaps we can speak of it later, once you have more impressions of this fair land."

"If I may interrupt this fascinating discussion," it was Yoshimo, together with Minsc returning from a little scouting excursion. Jaheira was quite glad for the break in conversation. While Leah might have been tolerant of Anomen's constant seeking of approval, Jaheira was far less excited about the squire's attitude. "My large friend and I found some of the surviving guards, covering in a wooden palisade on the other side of the keep. Perhaps we should investigate?"

Overhearing his words, Nalia sprang to her feet suddenly, bowling Aerie over in the process. "My... my father might be there! There is a chance... let us hurry!" she spoke excitedly, rushing ahead of everyone. Jaheira led the others after her, only Yoshimo staying a little behind to help Aerie, the elf looking a little peeved at Nalia's less than subtle treatment of her.

In the end, Nalia's hopes were crushed for the second time that day for her father was not amongst those who had sought refuge at the palisade. Nine guards and their captain, a man called Arat, had been cut off on the outer walls as the invaders had breached the lines of the defenders and entered the keep itself. There was nothing left for them to do than to fight through to the breached gates and rush to safety, going after the masses that had poured into the keep would have been a suicidal attempt. So, here they had been sitting for a day and a half, their only hope for reinforcements of some kind, and even though Captain Arat clearly looked sceptical about their chances of success, still, a plan was hastily forged.

Once Nalia had recovered her wits, she remembered of the secret passage she had been using to sneak in and out of the keep. The plan would see them enter the passage, fight their way through the lower levels of the keep, stealthily sneak out into the courtyard and lower the drawbridge again, allowing Arat's forces to storm in, join Leah's group and take the attackers by surprise. Leah had wondered why all of them could not enter together, using the secret passage, but apparently the tight quarters they would be travelling through would not be suitable for a force of nearly twenty men and women.

With that decided, there was nothing left than to wish each other luck and finally set to their task.

* * *

Several hours later they had progressed well through the ground level of the keep. The troll opposition had been quite scattered, seemingly convinced that the defending forces had been routed and many trolls had fallen prey to their ambushes. One of the rare servants that they managed to rescue knew to tell that Lord d'Arnise had still been alive quite recently, taken to the cellars by the leader of the invading troll army, so it seemed that the fiercest opposition still awaited them.

The servant, Daleson, had also mentioned that Nalia's father had tried to reforge an ancient weapon in his possession, something that apparently would have been very effective against the trolls. Nalia identified the weapon as the fabled Flail of Ages, created ages ago by powerful rakshasa and due to its dark creation the weapon had been kept hidden and its parts separated, making sure any divinations of the rakshasa would never reveal its location.

Already, they had managed to find the base of the weapon with a single flail head attached, hidden in a secret room behind an old forge. Anomen had taken upon himself to wield the weapon against the trolls for no one else had any training or experience in using a flail. "Until Lord d'Arnise can use it again himself," the squire had said, proudly accepting the flail from Nalia. Jaheira could only pray that the squire's well-meant words came true, but she was not holding much hope.

As they were all slowly gathering at the heavy front gate leading out from the keep and into the courtyard, Nalia quickly explained to Leah the closest way up to the fortified walls where they would have to operate the wheel mechanism in order to lower the drawbridge. Coming out of the large kitchen storeroom to join the others, having watched Minsc torch a still twitching ice troll, Jaheira felt something in her left knee give way for some reason, and she stumbled, twisting her leg painfully.

Steadying herself against the wall, she looked around quickly, hoping that no one had noticed, only to find Leah's brown eyes locked on her. "It is nothing," she hissed as the girl approached, the druidess herself casting a light healing spell on the painful knee. "I must have picked up a strain sitting in that cold cell for months. It will take some time to get back into shape, I fear."

"I know," the girl smiled, somewhat darkly. "I notice I have been getting exhausted faster than before."

"Well, I do not have any right to complain. Whatever I suffered is not comparable to what Irenicus put you through."

"I suppose," Leah grimaced, the druidess immediately regretting having brought up all the suffering they had endured in that accursed dungeon. "You will be fine, I take it?" the young priestess asked, Jaheira simply nodding at that. "We will have to move fast, I don't want anyone to be near the doors when we lower the bridge and the trolls rush out to meet Arat's men."

"Are you trying to coddle me?" Jaheira snapped. Leah looked a little hurt at her outburst, the druidess then taking a few experimental steps, testing the knee. There was no more pain, only a lingering echo of it. "Everything is fine, see?"

Moments later, Leah and Yoshimo opened the doors and Jaheira, Minsc and Anomen charged through, quickly overpowering the few lazy looking trolls in the courtyard. Aerie's acid arrows and Nalia's fire spells quickly stopped the fallen trolls from regenerating, and together they all moved up the western wall, no more opposition between them and the wheel mechanism. Shortly after, the drawbridge was lowered and Arat's men charged in, the loud creaking of the bridge alerting the trolls inside and several more now rushed forth to meet the rejuvenated defenders of the keep, trolls followed by a group of snake-like creatures, the yuan-ti.

Sounds of battle, screams of men and hissing of the snake people erupted from below, as the group of seven slowly crawled back down from the fortifications, after it was clear that no more troll reinforcements from the keep were arriving. Yoshimo, Nalia and Aerie remained up on the wall, pelting the enemy below with arrows and spells, while the melee group now attacked the yuan-ti from behind, scoring several cheap kills before their opponents realized they had been surrounded from both sides and started panicking.

In the end, the trolls and the yuan-ti were dispatched without incurring serious losses on their side. Arat lost one more guard during the attack, his head split together with his helmet by a vicious overhead slash from one of the yuan-ti. Another guard had lost his sword arm, ripped out of its socket by a maddened troll before anyone could react, but thankfully Anomen's quick reaction in healing the bloody stump had prevented the man from bleeding to death.

"What do you propose we do now?" Leah finally asked, standing a little aside together with Nalia and Captain Arat.

"You said that Lord d'Arnise has been taken to the cellars," Arat spoke. "I suggest we do the following. Together with the guards we will clear and secure the upper floors."

"Maybe Auntie still lives," Nalia exclaimed hopefully. Arat did not seem excited about that prospect, for some reason. "You have to try and rescue her, Captain, please!"

"Very well, Miss Nalia," Arat bowed. "The rest of you should try and make it to the cellars. If you hurry, perhaps not all is lost yet..."

"Yes, Leah, let's hurry, please," Nalia urged in a pleading voice.

"As you would wish it, Nalia," Leah said, rounding everyone up and making sure they were ready, before turning to the young mage again. "Show us the way then, lady d'Arnise!"


	8. Chapter 8

_So far so good,_ Leah thought as the group readied themselves for the final push into the catacombs under the d'Arnise keep, the prison cells and rusted torture implements painfully at odds with Nalia's insistence to refer to this glum place as mere 'cellar'. They had just finished off some slightly tougher troll resistance and then thanks to Yoshimo's ingenuity, lured a group of fearsome umber hulks away from their path and into an empty prison cell. Locked up in the tight space, the terrifying creatures now awaited their eventual execution, which would have to wait until the rest of the dungeon was secured.

Closer inspection of the cell block revealed the reason for the umber hulk presence. At the back of one of the cells, there loomed a wide opening, a freshly dug large curved tunnel leading up and outside, handiwork of the umber hulks, no doubt brought here for this single purpose to give the invading army the opportunity to take the keep's defenders by surprise. After all, the gates of the keep had never been breached, as the invaders had already taken the castle from the inside.

Now, as they marched through the last set of doors and into a larger chapel, a grim sight opened to their view. Three trolls, one of them larger than any Leah had previously seen, were caught busy tearing and beating up at something that had once been a human, now nothing but a bloody pulp. Leah's thought to quickly devise a strategy while the trolls were distracted immediately shattered as Nalia recognized the blood-spattered garments of the beaten, and by all the looks by now mercifully deceased man.

"Monsters!" Nalia shouted, rushing towards the trolls, magic blazing at her fingertips as she readied a spell. "You will pay for what you have done to my home, to my father!"

"Father? You live this place?" the largest of the trolls bellowed in broken Common, ignoring the flame arrow that had knocked one of his fellows several feet backwards. "Then you die! That was deal, and you die for sure! Rocksmash pack keep deal for stronger!"

"What? What deal?" Nalia stopped in confusion, her next spell interrupted. "Someone put you up to this? Who was it? If you are just some hired muscle, tell me who put you up to it! I will make you talk, I swear!"

The ranting seemed to have distracted the trolls momentarily, and Leah quickly ordered for Minsc to get in front of Nalia, shielding her, the enraged mage having left herself in a very vulnerable position to any troll charge. Jaheira and Anomen moved to intercept the two smaller trolls, Leah choosing to stay near Minsc, realizing that he might need the most of her support against the troll leader. It wasn't long until the trolls got tired of the shouting and ran towards them, Nalia and Aerie unleashing their spells, but they didn't seem to slow the fearsome beasts down by much.

Jaheira, with all her experience, realized that she did not need to risk by going all out on the offense, she merely needed to keep her opponent occupied until the rest of them had dealt with the troll leader. So, the druidess simply sat on the defensive, easily defending against the troll's powerful but slow swings, her own plain non-magical scimitar occasionally nicking the troll, but to no great effect.

Anomen, on the other hand, showed no such patience, too eager to claim the glory of a kill. In an open exchange of blows, both the squire and his opponent had suffered many wounds, but fortunately for Anomen, the now fully assembled Flail of Ages gave him just enough advantage to prevail and to finally smash the troll's head, the flail's powerful enchantments immediately halting the troll's regenerative power and killing the beast. Anomen, exhausted from the many blows he had taken, was forced to pause and heal himself thoroughly before rejoining the fray.

The fight against the troll leader was difficult, despite their overwhelming five to one advantage in numbers. Countless times Leah tried to sneak up on the beast from behind, trying to stab it with her falchion, only to have the massive troll swirl around and lash out at her. Fortunately, she was nimble enough and always managed to dodge just in time, and Minsc exploited these openings as much as he could. Between his strikes, Yoshimo's arrows and the spells of the two mages, the large troll was gradually getting worn down, the creature's endurance shocking to say the least. When the beast finally fell, Minsc went down with it, bloody and beaten, but still a beaming smile and shout of glory on his lips, despite the pain.

Having ordered Aerie to heal their ranger friend, Leah led the others to aid Jaheira, quickly despatching her troll opponent who by now had grown extremely frustrated at the time wasting tactics of the druidess. Once Aerie had finished her healing chant to mend Minsc's injuries, the ranger once again up on his feet, silence descended upon the chapel, as Nalia sat down next to the corpse of her father, tears flowing across her cheeks. Everyone discreetly left her alone, stepping out of the chapel, as the young mage's sobbing and the occasional wail grew in strength.

"There was nothing we could have done, right?" Leah looked at Jaheira.

"No," the druidess shook her head sadly. "There was simply too much damage."

Leah turned away, struggling with her own emotions. Nalia's pain had reawakened some old wounds she thought had long since healed, and while her heart bled for the girl's loss, her mind drifted to that open field several miles outside the gates of Candlekeep where she had found Gorion, skewered by the same sword that Minsc now carried on his back. The feeling of loss and despair had stayed with her for many months after, and realizing the pain that Nalia would be going through she nearly started to cry herself.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder, comforting in its intent. Leah turned around to assure Jaheira that she would be fine, but much to her surprise, found Anomen's eyes focused on her, kind and full of compassion. Ashamed, she quickly turned away.

"We did all we could, my lady," he said gently.

"I know Anomen… thank you. It's just that... I lost Gorion... my foster father," she explained, seeing the confusion on his face. "I lost him to a similar fate not long ago. To see it happening to Nalia... it strikes a powerful chord within me."

"I am sorry to hear it, Leah. Sometimes this world can be very cruel, can it not?" something in Anomen's voice suggested he was well familiar with loss himself, but Leah did not feel it was a fitting moment to inquire. They spoke no more, until Nalia emerged from the chapel a good while later, her eyes reddened and cheeks still wet from crying.

"I think... I will be fine, now," the young mage managed bravely. "Enough. I would leave this place." With that she turned and walked away towards the stairs leading out of the dungeon.

Leah quickly motioned for the others to follow before beckoning Yoshimo to her side. "You seem like someone I could delegate to arrange a creative disposal of those umber hulks," she said quietly.

The Kara-turan grinned broadly. "I thought you would never ask. I have just the thing for the task," he produced a small vial of amber liquid. "If they don't burn well on their own, this will make sure they roast nicely."

"You can spare me the details, I think," Leah said, walking away. "As long as they're dead, I don't really care how."

Upstairs, Leah arrived in the large central hall to see Nalia discussing something with Captain Arat and an elderly noblewoman, who Leah surmised to be the Auntie Nalia had referred to earlier. The discussion seemed to grow rather heated, particularly between the two women, while the captain just looked like he wanted to be elsewhere. In the end, Arat excused himself, taking some of the surviving guards with him to the dungeon to take care of Lord d'Arnise's remains and prepare them for funeral.

After a few more high-pitched exchanges, the elder noblewoman threw her arms up in despair and stormed away, passing Leah and her friends but not sparing even a barbed glare at them, retreating upstairs. Having stood in one spot for a while, clenching her fists and trying to reign in her temper, Nalia finally let out a deep breath and rejoined them.

"My... my home. My father... what is there left for me?" the young woman looked forlorn. "Someone has done this... but who?"

"I am sorry we could not save your father," Leah said. "I wish I could help you more, but I am not sure in what capacity we could be useful. Rebuilding the keep will take time, I have no doubt, and I will need to resume my travels soon."

"Yes... yes, of course, I will see to your reward shortly," Nalia spoke, looking thoughtful. "Afterwards... well, I don't know what will happen. I wonder if you... hmm, no, I don't think so..."

"Speak up, Nalia," Leah urged her. "If there's something I can do, I will."

"It is just... you see, I am betrothed to a man I do not wish to marry. Father said he would stall as long as I wished to, but now he is gone. Aunt Delcia already reminded me of my obligations... that was the reason for our confrontation you saw just now."

 _Hmm, so the old crone has a motive, perhaps?_ Leah wondered. "She did not seem too broken up about your father's death."

"What? Oh no, I hope you are not implying anything, she is devastated, she just... knows how to guard her emotions better than I do," Nalia said. "But as I was saying, I was betrothed to Isaea Roenall, a brat of a man. Coming from an influential family, now they will surely push forth with the agreement, and I will be forced into a life of quiet nobility. I should not be surprised that Auntie sees this as an opportunity to improve our standing and the fortunes of our family."

"Purely altruistic on her part, I am sure," she heard Jaheira snorting nearby, Nalia shooting an angry stare at the druidess.

"Still, I have worked so hard to distinguish myself from nobles such as the Roenall family, I could not stand to be associated with them in any way. Or indeed, see them lay claim to my father's holdings, it would... no, I do not think I can stay to witness that, it would break my heart," Nalia said, her fists clenched from the emotion. "I... I think it would be best if I left. There is little remaining for me here, and the Roenall's will soon attempt to usurp their control of the place."

Leah looked around the grand hall of the keep, her brow furrowing as she was contemplating something. Even in its current state, slightly damaged in the battle, the large castle was impressive. In a way it slightly reminded her of Candlekeep, even if the layout was completely different, this place had a heart of its own, oozing rich history. And Leah could not imagine herself ever giving up as easily on a place she called home. "I think you should stay here and try to do something to resist these Roenall's," she told the young mage.

"How dare you?" Nalia was incensed. "You know nothing of our traditions, our laws or the wealth and power of the Roenall's! If you had even the slightest idea of what you are talking about, you would see that I am completely out of options!"

"Remember, the keep never fell to the trolls, it was only because of those umber hulks that they were able to breach it from the inside. Perhaps defending it with force is not the best way, but it still is an option," Leah pointed out, ignoring Nalia's righteous fury.

"I cannot ask these soldiers to risk their lives for me again, so soon after this attack!" Nalia exclaimed, unconvinced. "It would just end with the Roenall's throwing more and more soldiers against the walls, resulting in countless lives lost, all because of my stubbornness in ignoring my obligations and because of my defiance of the traditions."

"I believe I speak for most of the guard, Miss Nalia, when I say that we would be honoured to make the effort," Captain Arat spoke up behind her. "Our loyalty to your father was unshakable, and it extends to you as well. And if not for the loyalty, or their payroll, the guard have vested interest in protecting the keep. Should this place fall to the Roenall's, all of us would be forced to leave and while as of late this has not proven to be the safest form of employment, they are all interested in remaining here."

"No… no, I don't think I can ask that of you," Nalia shook her head.

"Lady Nalia," Anomen approached her. "I have been thinking, and I believe that there is a solution that has been used several times in recent history. Lady Nalia, as an heir to your family's holdings, it is your right to choose a master of this castle. You could ask someone to become the figurehead of the keep and assume the role of a ward of sorts, yourself."

"Hmm, I suppose... but would the Roenall's truly accept such arrangement? They might want to push their claims despite everything..."

"Ah, but they would have no legal justification for doing so," Anomen explained. "Even if their influence is great, the Council simply would not stand for one noble family attacking another so openly."

"I am starting to like this idea..." Nalia mused, spark of hope in her eyes now. "And since you are of a noble background yourself, it might make the arrangement all the more convincing."

"Err, my lady, I am afraid I would not be best suited for this task..." Anomen stammered, looking very uncomfortable.

"But why would you offer such solution only to decline yourself?" Nalia looked surprised.

"I, ah... the path of the Roenall's and the Delryn's has crossed before," Anomen admitted, looking ashamed. "I must confess that my father's less than fortunate business practices have put us indebted to many, Roenall's amongst them. If they knew of my involvement, they would not hesitate to exploit it, and perhaps would also try to sabotage my aspirations regarding the Order."

Leah guessed the latter part was the greatest worry for Anomen, but declined from commenting on it. "Must the figurehead be a man?" she asked. "Perhaps..."

"No offense, Leah, but you simply do not cut a very daunting figure," Nalia said quickly, much to Leah's chagrin. "I do not believe that Yoshimo looks the part either, and your friend Minsc..."

"Minsc and Boo would like to rule the nice castle!" Minsc said excitedly, the hamster on his shoulder looking just as intrigued about the opportunity. "Boo could oversee the cheese and peanut supplies, while Minsc takes care of the less important duties!"

"Well, you heard it for yourself," Nalia sighed. "I think we're out of options here, unless you reconsider, Anomen."

"I apologize most profusely, but I fear I must decline," the squire looked guilty as he spoke.

"This is all a waste of our precious time," it seemed as Jaheira's patience had finally worn out. "We can ill afford to stand around listening how the girl lacks the backbone to do what is right and the rest of you," she glared at Anomen in particular, the squire withering under her stare. "Are simply throwing responsibility around like a hot potato! Now, decide one way or another and let us be done with it!"

While the others stood in silence, ashamed and looking at their feet, something occurred to Leah. "Nalia... are you absolutely certain that this figurehead must be a man?" she asked.

"Well, I guess if there was a woman as intimidating as..." the young mage stopped, something dawning on them all.

"What are you staring at me like that for?" Jaheira asked sharply. Then the realization dawned on her. "Oh no! Deal with your keep yourself, I am not getting involved in this nonsense!"

"But... you are forceful enough to maybe make this work. Certainly, we would need to be creative in disguising your elven ancestry, because the Roenall's would not accept that, but that should be easily done," Nalia argued. "And despite your manner, there is something about you..." she silenced herself quickly, as Jaheira glared at her fiercely.

"Jaheira, might I have a word with you?" Leah spoke up, beckoning her friend to step aside.

"Thank you Leah, this foolishness was starting to grate on my nerves," Jaheira exclaimed in relief when they had both retreated away from the group.

"Oh you misunderstand me, I want you to accept this responsibility."

"What? Why?" the druidess looked shocked. "We do not need to get involved into these affairs, what possible reason would you have for wasting our time so?"

"Practical reasons, actually. The keep is very close to Athkatla, and it has nice wide stables, if we could secure horses, it would probably be only two or three hour ride to the city," Leah started to explain. "It would also save us gold we would otherwise spend in inns, paying for our rooms... and the lodgings here would be far more comfortable than in any inn. All in all..." Leah mused, looking around. "I find this could be a very good base of operations."

Jaheira did not look utterly convinced. "I still think you are mad. You expect me to deal with some uppity nobles?"

"I expect you to send them covering from fear of getting their dainty faces bruised, actually," Leah chuckled. "But just think of what we could gain if we manage to make this plan work. Neither of us is fond of cities, especially large, dirty and intimidating ones like Athkatla."

"Hmm, you do make a decent point," the druidess looked more thoughtful now. "Very well, if you truly think this is a good idea... I will try."

"Ladies and gentlemen..." Leah spoke up as they rejoined the rest of the group. "Please bow to your new overlord, Lady Jaheira," and she did so herself, bowing deeply. Jaheira's only reaction was a groan before she buried her face in her hands.


	9. Chapter 9

Yet again, Jaheira woke in the middle of the night. While for her it was nothing unusual in its own right, this time she had the strangest feeling as if she had not been awakened by her nightmares, but rather some weird explosion-like noises in the distance. However, such explanation seemed utterly ridiculous. It was perhaps only three or four hours past the midnight, the sky outside was pitch black and silence reigned all around her. Still, now that she had found herself awake, the druidess knew that this was the end of her rest this night, kicking off the soft silken bedsheets and getting out of the bed.

Nalia's keep was so large that all of them could enjoy the privacy of having separate rooms, but in a way Jaheira found it a little disconcerting, having grown used to the idea of sharing accommodations with Leah during their travels. But at least now she did not have to worry about waking the girl, Jaheira stretching lightly before leaving the room, wearing nothing but her light sleeping tunic, ending a good finger length above her knees. In truth, the druidess preferred to sleep in the nude, but she had made a concession out of respect to her travelling companions, not wanting to embarrass someone as naive as Anomen or give any wrong ideas to sly rogues like Yoshimo.

The castle and the rest of its inhabitants seemed well and truly asleep, the hallways were empty and Jaheira swiftly and quietly strode through the corridors, reaching the heavy iron shod doors that lead directly from the second floor of the keep out onto the fortifications. For a while she simply stood frozen like a statue, drawing deep breaths of the cool night air, relaxing as her head cleared and some of the stress and the tension bled away. She was about to turn around and return to the keep, when suddenly she heard a subtle creaking sound coming from somewhere a little ahead of her.

Realizing that someone was out here with her, Jaheira tensed up immediately, crouching a little and trying to detect the source of the sound. Her elven vision did help, and though it seemed as if there was nobody directly ahead of her, she heard the noise again, a screeching sound that she remembered hearing before. _The drawbridge wheel!_ Jaheira suddenly realized, darting forward, cutting around the corner of the battlements and sneaking up on a figure in dark, hunched over the large wheel, struggling to turn it.

Having finally identified the one trying to lower the drawbridge, Jaheira straightened up and let out a little cough to alert the other, receiving a startled gasp as Nalia's beloved aunt turned around sharply and faced her with a surprised, yet disgusted glare. "Nice evening for a stroll, Lady Delcia?" the druidess asked casually.

"What is it to you, peasant?" Delcia spat back, quickly recovering from the surprise. "You should count yourself fortunate that your presence is even tolerated within these walls!"

"How charming," Jaheira clicked her tongue. "Would you mind explaining what are you doing out here, trying to lower the drawbridge?"

"I certainly **_would_** mind having to explain myself!" Delcia protested. "I will not be held accountable to some lower class mongrel! It is your duty to assist your betters without questioning their actions. And right now I order you to turn this wheel!"

"I do not think that would be wise," Jaheira shook her head warningly. "In fact, I would like you to step away from the wheel, or I will have to remove you forcefully."

"Threatened in my own home?" Delcia fumed. "The very nerve of it! But you will not find me an easy prey, brute!" she withdrew a thin and sharp looking knife, making Jaheira halt her advance, not that she was truly frightened of facing an old noblewoman, armed with a letter knife.

However, things did not even escalate to an uneven physical confrontation. Lady Delcia suddenly collapsed with a heavy grunt, toppling to the ground as a dark figure appeared behind her, the newcomer revealing himself to be Yoshimo, smiling as he bowed lightly to Jaheira. "I knew that the old crone had to be watched," the rogue smirked, looking pleased with himself. "It seems as if I was not alone in my suspicions."

"Fortunately she overestimated her own physical strength and struggled to turn the wheel," Jaheira nodded, unwilling to admit that she had stumbled upon Delcia by accident. "I imagine there is a large group of Roenall soldiers waiting somewhere outside the gates."

"That would be a safe assumption, yes," Yoshimo agreed. "But still, Lady Delcia presents us with a problem," he continued. "I have a feeling that despite their heated arguments, she still holds some power over her niece. Even if young Nalia would believe us instead of her aunt, I do not think that she would dare to act against Delcia in any way."

"I see what you mean, bounty hunter," Jaheira agreed reluctantly. "While Lady Delcia remains in the keep... attempts like these might continue. It would be better if she... left."

"Since I doubt that she would be willing to simply walk away, I assume you are implying that she should leave the scene... permanently?" Yoshimo guessed, earning a sharp nod from Jaheira. "I admire your practicality, my lady," he smiled at the unimpressed looking druidess.

"She has revealed her evil intent," Jaheira shrugged simply. "Her sympathies lay with the Roenall's, and that makes her our enemy. But do make certain that the body is not found. We must do what we can to spare Nalia's feelings. She will make an attempt to find her aunt."

"Lady Delcia will never be seen or found again, I swear that on my reputation as a bounty hunter," Yoshimo spoke, bowing to the druidess.

"Very well," Jaheira nodded. "Also, did you take care of the umber hulk tunnels as I instructed you to do? Because if you have not done so, there is still a looming backdoor entrance into the keep, begging to be exploited."

"I took care of it, but not... exactly in the way you instructed me to do," Yoshimo replied, looking smug.

"Enlighten me," the half-elf demanded, crossing her arms on her chest.

"You did not hear the explosions a while ago?"

"Those were real? I thought I was merely dreaming," Jaheira confessed.

"Instead of collapsing the tunnel, I decided to fix it with several explosive traps," Yoshimo grinned broadly. "You were correct, they did try to use it again to enter the keep. I do not know how many of the Roenall soldiers now lay buried under the rock and rubble, but I would estimate between one to two dozen."

Jaheira winced, feeling rather impressed by the Kara-Turan's thinking, but obviously reluctant to hand out praise easily. "An interesting and creative solution," she finally said. "You are proving to be a dangerous man, Yoshimo."

"As I said, I have a reputation that must be maintained," the rogue replied with that disarming smile of his. "It is in my nature to think of everything."

"Except that one time when you were captured in your room at the Copper Coronet," Jaheira pointed out, watching the expression on Yoshimo's face with narrowed eyes.

For a while nobody said anything, tension palpable in the air, despite the smile still lingering on Yoshimo's lips. "Everybody is entitled to one mistake, my lady," he finally said, chuckling amiably to disperse the tension. "I am simply glad that mine did not have lethal consequences."

"I hope my one mistake will not be to trust you," Jaheira pointed out, keeping a piercing stare on Yoshimo, but it still failed to unnerve the rogue.

"I assure that I will do my utmost not to disappoint you," Yoshimo said, sounding sincere. "But now, I think you should be able to return to your interrupted rest, my lady," he added, glancing at the unconscious Lady Delcia at his feet. "I doubt you wish to accompany me on this gruesome little task."

"Your concern is appreciated, though I doubt I will be able to resume sleeping," Jaheira said, briefly looking around to see that there were still not even the slightest signs of the first light of the dawn.

"If I could make a suggestion, my lady," Yoshimo said smoothly, his eyes seemingly fixed on Jaheira's legs. "I know of several ancient Kara-Turan massage techniques that could-... but perhaps I should stop talking now," he said, feeling Jaheira's glare intensifying tenfold.

"That would be very wise," Jaheira agreed, turning around to walk back to the keep. "Now go, and take care of your task."

* * *

On the morning of the next day, Anomen sought out Leah in the keep's library, finding the priestess browsing through a book detailing collection of some local folk songs, smiling as he placed a tray of food and a mug of tea in front of the slightly startled Leah. "I did not see you at the breakfast table, my lady," he said gently. "I simply thought..."

"Oh, I did grab something from the kitchen earlier, but thank you, I really appreciate it. I was already getting hungry again," Leah smiled at him, watching the young man take a seat opposite to her.

"I must say, I actually missed not being awakened by your lovely morning prayer," Anomen said, blushing a little.

"You wouldn't have wanted to be awakened that early, Anomen," Leah kept smiling back at him. "Besides, as a fellow healer, I know that you are probably feeling very sore after all the blows you took for the good of the group yesterday. You needed the recovery."

"You are most considerate, my lady," Anomen replied, looking thankful and impressed by her kindness, hesitating a little before speaking up again. "You mentioned the name of Gorion yesterday. I understand that he was very much like a father to you. What was your relationship with him like?"

"He was... well, I always considered him to be my father in the best sense of the word, truly," Leah smiled serenely, her thoughts drifting back to what was actually relatively recent past, though right now it almost seemed like an entirely different lifetime, one where she did not have the blood of a dead god in her veins. "He was always there for me." _Even if you kept some horrible secrets from me... I know you did it to protect me, father. I will never hold it against you._

"I am glad that you had such a fond relationship with your father, though I admit also being rather jealous of you, my lady," Anomen said, something in his face changing as he spoke, making him appear bitter. "I did not have a good relationship with my father, Lord Cor. When he was not completely drunk, he would demand that I uphold the family honor, or simply told me what a worthless son I had become. He tried to discourage me from joining the Order and wanted me to help him in his mercantile business, but... I truly had no interest in that. Oh, how I would have wished for my father to be the supportive mentor I had dreamed of, but... instead, I endured his abuse until I was of the age to squire for the Order. Then, I fled as quickly as I could."

"I suppose I can understand that," Leah looked up to him sympathetically. "What about the rest of your family, though?"

"The only one left is my sister, Moira... I suppose I am telling you all this because you remind me of her a great deal," Anomen said, blushing a little as his eyes fell on Leah's face. "I miss her greatly... the only thing about my family that I miss."

"You left her with your abusive father?" Leah asked, a little surprised. "Will she be safe with him?"

"She is young and determined, and my father's ire was always reserved for me, so I do not think that she is in any kind of danger... even if I do regret abandoning her to such fate, alone with Lord Cor," Anomen admitted, looking ashamed. "But... there was little I could do. I am sure that she... never mind. Please, I do not wish to speak any further on this, Leah-" he suddenly looked about to cut her off abruptly, but then Nalia charged into the library, looking around anxiously, followed by a nervous looking Aerie and as always upbeat and proudly grinning Minsc.

"I cannot find Aunt Delcia!" Nalia announced, looking a little hysterical. "I have mobilized all the guards, and they have turned the keep upside down several times! They have combed every corner to find her, but with no result... my auntie has disappeared! I know the Roenall's are involved somehow, I just know!"

 _They very well might be, just not in the way you think and hope for, Nalia,_ Leah realized, Delcia's disappearance not particularly surprising to her. "Little Nalia speaks the truth," Minsc nodded excitedly. "Minsc tried to use Boo's sniffing nose to track down Nalia's aunt, but Boo's nose is not so good in sniffing out lost ladies! Though Boo did find secret food stores down in the pantry!"

"Yes, Daleson will have some explaining to do," Nalia said, looking annoyed.

"We could try to employ divination magic to locate your aunt," Aerie suggested. Then her face fell a little. "Although... I do not currently have such a spell memorized. What about you, Nalia?" The young human mage simply shook her head in reply to that.

"Perhaps she has left to meet the Roenall's with the intention to smoothen things over?" Leah then suggested something that she hoped Nalia would accept as plausible.

"That was my thought as well, but we checked her room and she had not packed and prepared for travel. It is clear that she has been abducted!" Nalia exclaimed, upset and agitated. "Not to mention that I have just received news from a messenger sent by Lord Farthington Roenall. He insists on an audience and is on his way to the keep. So Auntie Delcia could not be with the Roenall's!"

While Leah felt compelled to point out the logical flaws in Nalia's reasoning, she elected not to do so, rising from the table and pushing the barely touched tray of food away. "In that case," she said, smiling broadly. "I guess we should go and prepare a welcoming committee for the kind and considerate Lord Roenall..."

* * *

The audience with the arrogant and pompous Lord Farthington Roenall had gone pretty much according to the script that Leah had imagined. The haughty noble had ranted about how the d'Arnise keep was theirs by right, but Nalia, all credit to her, had not backed down, insisting that the old tradition regarding the guardian of the keep had to be respected. The head of the Roenall family had looked rather peeved when learning that Lady Delcia could not be found, further leading credence to Leah's conviction that Delcia had been conspiring with the wealthier family to get rid of her own brother and then marry off the niece to Farthington's repulsive looking son, Isaea.

Lord Farthington Roenall had spent a long time questioning Jaheira's worthiness to stand as Nalia's guardian, but the druidess had rebuked all of his arguments with her customary sharpness. Her elongated half-elven ears hidden by the helmet she wore, slanted, almond-shaped eyes made to look completely human-like by Nalia's creative use of makeup, all of these precautions made Lord Roenall certain that he was arguing with a human, not a half-elf. In the end, seeing that Nalia and Jaheira would not budge to his aggressive arguments, Lord Farthington Roenall had played the card that Leah had been hoping for, invoking a trial by combat with the fate of the keep at stake. Nalia and Jaheira had immediately agreed to these terms, and the whole procession had then moved to the keep's courtyard, one side of it filled by the guards of the d'Arnise Keep, Lord Roenall's entourage on the other side.

Lord Farthington was renowned in the circles of Amnish nobility as an expert swordsman, an opinion that was constantly repeated to him by all the trainers that he employed. Which also meant that while undoubtedly being quite skilled with the sword, he was also arrogant, overconfident and had not tested his skills in the field of battle, only against his many sparring partners. Jaheira had not received such extensive training with the scimitar, but her skills had been honed in countless daily battles against creatures and monsters of the very real kind. In Leah's mind, there was no question as to who truly held the edge in this contest, but still, as the two opponents stepped into the courtyard, the young priestess could not help but to feel very nervous for her old friend.

The duel started out cautiously, despite his bravado and arrogance Lord Roenall did not blindly charge in on the offensive and try to skewer the opponent with his bastard sword, first testing out Jaheira's defenses with some one-handed thrusts, looking a little surprised at how easily the agile druidess, clad in the powerfully enchanted chain mail they had found in the dungeons of Irenicus, dodged his attacks. Both opponents had agreed to forego the use of a shield, and while this allowed Lord Roenall to sometimes switch to two-handed use of his bastard sword, it was Jaheira who seemed to benefit more from the extra mobility.

The cautious, testing encounter continued for a good while, Jaheira unable to get close enough to test her scimitar against the weak points of Lord Roenall's plate armor, her opponent growing more and more frustrated with the reluctance of the druidess to engage in a tight melee scrap, always on the back foot and seeking to retreat as soon as Farthington began to push forward. As time went by, Lord Roenall's frustrations only increased. His attacks became more insistent and forceful, some had managed to nick Jaheira here and there, but not in any meaningful way. Still, it gave Farthington the confidence to continue his aggressive offense... until Jaheira allowed him to get a little closer, deflected the slash of his sword with her scimitar, and then threw a quick punch with her left hand, gauntleted fist smashing the arrogant noble's nose, breaking it and leaving his face bloodied.

Shouts and protests, accusing Jaheira of dishonorable conduct by throwing a cheap-shot, rang out from Isaea and the rest of the Roenall supporters, but they were quickly silenced by old Farthington himself, angrily waving his entourage to remain silent. He appeared well and truly enraged now, grabbing a two-handed hold of his bastard sword and coming at Jaheira with powerful overhead slashes that would have sliced the half-elf's head open, helmet or not. Still, this was just the kind of move that the druidess had been counting on, dodging and diving out of her opponent's way when Lord Roenall finally lost his balance after one particularly vicious strike.

That was all the opening that Jaheira needed, quickly recovering to unleash a precision strike with her scimitar, cutting deep into Farthington's leg, severing the tendons at the back of his knee. The arrogant lord struggled to get back to his feet, one of his legs no longer able to support his weight, and Jaheira quickly took advantage. A heavy blow with an elbow to Lord Roenall's temples nearly robbed him of his consciousness, making him woozy as he weakly slid to his knees. Without any hesitation, Jaheira pressed the tip of her scimitar into the rivet on the shoulder of his plate mail and then forced it downwards with tremendous force, the scimitar entering Farthington's body to the very pommel. Blood began to spurt from Lord Roenall's mouth and nose, the body falling forward limply and collapsing in the mud as soon as Jaheira withdrew the scimitar, blade dripping red with thick blood.

Even though Leah's first instinct was to cheer in celebration just like the rest of her group were doing, her cautious instincts made her hesitate and it proved a wise decision. She suddenly saw a man amongst the crowd of Roenall supporters withdrawing his long sword and charging at Jaheira, the druidess still standing over Farthington's corpse and oblivious as to what was going on behind her. "Jaheira!" Leah shouted, her heart clenching with anxiety. "Watch out!"

If the druidess had taken the moment to actually turn around and look at what was happening behind her, Isaea Roenall's powerful swing of the sword would have cleanly decapitated her. Fortunately, Jaheira knew better, the chemistry that they had developed fighting side by side through so many battles urging her to quickly roll aside and out of Isaea's way, the long sword slicing through air. She was up on her feet instantly, immediately being put on the defensive by Isaea's ferocious onslaught.

In the end, Isaea's undoing was the same as his father's. Having scored a few superficial nicks, the young Roenall was lured into believing that Jaheira was quickly tiring from the way that she constantly kept backing up. With all her experience, Jaheira managed to convince her opponent that she was weakening and in his arrogance Isaea happily believed her acting, probably also a part of him unable to truly accept that he could possibly be bested in combat by a woman. However, none of these slight, superficial nicks that Isaea scored or the territorial advantage he possessed, mattered. All it would take was the one strike that actually connected. Jaheira's movements in backpedalling seemed to become slower, but then as Isaea lounged forth with what he believed was the decisive strike, Jaheira's scimitar suddenly flashed through the air much faster than it should have been swung by his supposedly tiring opponent.

The courtyard was suddenly silenced by Isaea's cry of pain and dismay as he stared at the bloody stump of his sword arm, severed hand together with the sword clattering to the ground. "Help!" he yelled, turning towards the group of Roenall soldiers, trying to stop the spurting of the blood from his severed hand, pressing down on the stump. "I yield! I yield!" he whimpered pathetically. "Healer! Quickly!"

"On your knees," Jaheira spat, coming over to where Isaea whimpered in pain. Praying for his life, the young nobleman did as he was told, dropping on his knees and pleading for mercy. Jaheira simply ripped off his helmet, grabbed the dark mop of his hair and pulled his head backwards before pressing the blade of the scimitar to the man's gullet and then cutting his throat, almost casually.

"Hey!" the leader of the Roenall guard forces shouted in protest, looking enraged. "He had already surrendered, you honorless harlot!"

"He did not challenge me according to your own rules of conduct," Jaheira said simply, looking down at the two corpses, father and son. "I was under no obligation to accept his surrender."

Leah now stepped forth, taking Jaheira's side as she looked at the Roenall soldiers who still looked very hostile, some of them having already drawn swords. "So, what will it be?" she asked, staring down the leader of the soldiers. "Will you choose to fight for your dead lords and join them in death?"

Immediately, the angry muttering amongst the Roenall soldiers became slightly subdued and indecisive. "Well... when you put it like that..." the leader shrugged, looking back at his suddenly rather disinterested looking soldiers. "I suppose that would be rather pointless..."

"A wise choice," Leah nodded, pointing at the corpses on the ground. "Take these two and go. You have exactly one hour to get off the d'Arnise lands."

Wordlessly, the Roenall soldiers grabbed the corpses of their employers and dragged them away in a rather undignified manner, pulling them through the mud. Once they had left, someone on the battlements raised the drawbridge again and everyone inside the courtyard let out a deep breath of relief.

"Are we finally done with this nonsense?" Jaheira asked, sounding irritated, as Nalia came over to join her and Leah.

Nalia and Leah exchanged glances, Lady d'Arnise nodding gratefully. "Yes," the young priestess said with relief. "We are finally done here. Thank you, Jaheira."

"Forget it," the druidess said, turning around to walk away but not before throwing the bloodied scimitar away across the courtyard in disgust. "I have had just enough of this."


	10. Chapter 10

"So... what happens now?" Nalia d'Arnise asked, as Leah and her entire group had gathered downstairs in the central hall of the keep. Several hours had passed since the Roenall forces had retreated, dragging with them the corpses of their lords, effectively ending the conflict between the two families, the deaths of Lord Farthington Roenall and his son Isaea rendering all those forced agreements between them and Nalia's father null and void.

"What do you mean, Nalia?" Leah asked, looking at the young mage.

"Well... you have done me more favors than I could have reasonably expected of you," Nalia replied. "The Roenall's are no longer a threat, and you have also rid me of my... undesired engagement to Isaea. The truth is that I no longer require your services or your protection, but... you have done so much, so if there is any way that I could help you, just please do not hesitate to ask! But I'm afraid that I cannot offer any more coin, seeing as the repairs of the keep will be very costly."

"There is a way you can help, Nalia, yes," Leah nodded. "I've been thinking... perhaps you would allow us to use this keep as a headquarters of sorts, during our stay in Amn? It would be very convenient for us to have a base of operations as we plan our rescue of Imoen."

"Oh... but of course!" Nalia quickly agreed. "You can come and go as you wish, and I would be happy to accompany you on your travels should you have need of a mage! Well... after I have restored some semblance of order to the keep, that is..."

"I might very well take you up on that offer, Nalia," Leah smiled. "One more thing," she said, absentmindedly rubbing a sore spot in her lower back, the beds in Nalia's keep far softer than anything in her recent memory. "If you could find a way to secure horses for our use... that would be very much appreciated."

"Hmm... that might take some time... but I will see what I can do," Nalia nodded. "For now, you will simply have to do without horses, but I should have something for you within a tenday."

"I would like to have horses when we depart on our journeys to Trademeet or the Windspear Hills," Leah said. "But right now our path will lead back to Athkatla. I want to see about arranging some employment locally first, before you have secured those horses for us."

"Very well," Nalia said, looking pleased about being useful. "Then I will remain here and make sure you have everything you need by the time you return from Athkatla."

"Excellent," Leah smiled. "Aerie will remain here with you for the time being. She can help you in running the keep or help you in other ways. Also, make sure to compare your spellbooks. I'm certain you will find ways to broaden your array of spells."

"Did I fare poorly in battle, Leah?" Aerie asked, looking crestfallen. "I thought I did rather well..."

"Oh, you fared very well, Aerie, considering it was the first serious combat you saw," Leah smiled at the elf. "But I would rather not take you back to the city before I have secured that license from the Cowled Wizards. I don't want to run into any trouble with that group, since they are the ones keeping Imoen imprisoned."

"Ah... a-alright," Aerie nodded, looking more encouraged, then walking up to Nalia. "I'm sure I'll find ways to be useful around the keep! We will study magic together, Nalia... and we can keep looking for your aunt!"

"Of course, I have no intention of forgetting about Aunt Delcia," Nalia said with determination, Leah catching with the corner of her eye Jaheira letting out a sigh, the druidess rubbing her brow and looking a little annoyed. _I'm guessing she either knows or suspects of what has happened to Delcia,_ Leah thought. _Ah, well. I'm guessing it's not an issue, anymore._

"Lady Nalia, are you truly certain about trusting the Flail of Ages in my possession?" Anomen asked, reverently holding the powerful weapon in his hands.

"I am most certain, Anomen," Nalia smiled broadly. "It will see much better use serving you in your noble quest than standing here disassembled, its parts merely gathering dust."

"I thank you for this honor, my lady," Anomen bowed deeply, looking moved.

"Alright... I guess that about wraps things up here," Leah finally said decisively, looking back at her group. "Let's get ready for the road, people! We're leaving within the hour!"

* * *

_"Life... is strength. This is not to be contested, it seems logical enough."_

That statement might have been true, however, the rest of Leah's nightmare felt less convincing. _Am I destined to be forgotten?_ She thought, rubbing her aching head, running her hand through the damp strands of her hair, drenched in perspiration. _I don't think I will care whether I'm forgotten or not once I'm dead. Though of course... it is teasing me with immortality, isn't it? The taint, wearing the cruel face of my captor... so very convincing at times._

_"You will do what you must, become what you must, or others will pay for your cowardice."_

_If only that made sense._ Leah sighed, slowly propelling herself up on her elbows. _I don't see how letting the taint take over would do anything but harm the others, those travelling with me, those I care about. Will it give me the extra strength that I need to rescue Imoen in time? Certainly... that is what it wants me to believe... but I've learned long time ago not to trust those insidious words that the taint whispers in my mind._

Knowing that sleep would be hard to come by for the rest of the night, Leah cautiously pulled on the flap of her tent to see who was currently on the guard shift. Her eyes met with Yoshimo's alert stare, the Kara-Turan smiling at her. She released the flap of her tent to close it again, crawled out of her bedroll, got dressed and crawled out of the tent, ready to take over the watch from the Kozakuran rogue.

"You are up early," he commented as Leah sat down on her knees next to the small fireplace, reaching out with open palms to capture as much warmth as possible. "Almost by an hour." If she had made any noises in her sleep, cried or trashed during her nightmare, Yoshimo's appearance betrayed none of it, and she was glad for it.

"Couldn't sleep, so I can relieve you early," Leah shrugged. "I was supposed to take over from you anyway."

"That would be a very rude thing to do, my lady," Yoshimo smiled. "My honor would not allow me to abandon my post before the time of my watch has ended. You will simply have to endure my company for a while."

"It is not such a terrible thing to endure," Leah smiled up to him. Despite knowing Yoshimo only for a few days, he had a certain roguish charm about him that made it difficult to question his motives, even if Leah knew she could not trust the Kozakuran fully just yet.

"Perhaps this could give us an opportunity to talk," Yoshimo continued, eyeing her intently. "We are still relative strangers. I am sure that you would also like to know your companions better... as I would like to know more about the woman that I have chosen to follow."

"If you have questions, ask them," Leah said earnestly. "I will decide whether to answer them or not, but I will not hold your interest against you."

"I am curious how such a young lovely, proud and fair, would get herself dragged into adventuring," Yoshimo began, giving her a disarming smile. "It is a dangerous business, after all. Anyone of us could die at a moment's notice."

"Certainly not by choice, Yoshimo," Leah replied. "I do not think that I would have stayed in Candlekeep my entire life, but events forced me to abandon it sooner than I expected or was ready to."

"What happened?" Yoshimo asked.

"Assassins infiltrated Candlekeep, seeking to kill me," Leah explained. "My stepfather then tried to take me to a place where I would be in safety, but we were ambushed on the road. The man who had sent those assassins killed my stepfather and I barely managed to escape, left to wander the wilderness. The only choice before me was to take up the path that has led me here."

"Who was this man who sent assassins to kill you, and why did he seek your demise?" Yoshimo continued his questioning.

_How much do I tell to this relative stranger?_ Leah paused, deep in thought. _Hmm, perhaps telling him the entire truth will force him to reveal his real motives for following me? Risky, but... what do I have to lose? If he was seeking my death, he would have had ample opportunities to kill me already._

"His name was Sarevok," Leah said, watching Yoshimo's face intently, but his expression did not change in the slightest. "You have not heard of him?" Yoshimo shook his head. "He was a product of the Time of Troubles and carried the blood of a deity in his veins. Sarevok was a Bhaalspawn, son of the dead god of murder, and he sought for a way to harness and add to his divine power by murdering his siblings."

"Do you mean to say-"

"Yes," Leah nodded, noticing that for once Yoshimo was taken a little aback. Whether it was because he was genuinely shocked by the truth or by her willingness to admit it, she was not certain. "I, too, am a child of Bhaal."

"That is... most interesting," Yoshimo nodded, his eyes staring at her most intently. "I thank you for your trust in sharing this tale with me. If there are any questions you wish to ask of me, please, do not hesitate."

"Why are you still following us, Yoshimo?" Leah asked directly.

"You rescued me from that accursed dungeon," Yoshimo replied simply. "I would not have escaped from that deathtrap on my own. Helping you in return is the least I can do."

"What if I told you that your debt has been repaid and you are free to leave my company?" Leah continued, scrutinizing his expression and noticing some emotion creeping into the man's face, but it was faint and disappeared quickly. _Was it fear? Fear of what?_

"I would still prefer to follow your company, young lovely," Yoshimo quickly gathered his wits. "There is something compelling about you, Leah, something that makes me care about your fate and that of your Imoen. And if you do not believe that explanation... well, there is also profit in joining with such accomplished adventurers as your group."

"I suppose that makes sense," Leah admitted.

"Are there any other questions that you would like to ask of me, my friend?" Yoshimo asked in a friendly voice.

"No, unless there is something you wish to tell me," the young priestess shrugged.

"I cannot think of anything relevant," Yoshimo said.

"Then I will not prod," Leah smiled. "I have learned that everything that is truly important reveals itself sooner or later."

Yoshimo held her smile easily. "You are truly wise beyond your years, young lovely."

Just then, as a tense silence set in around the campsite, it was broken by a sudden cry from one of the tents, the sharp sound easing into a series of whimpers together with a string of hastily spoken and incoherent words. The sounds were coming from Jaheira's tent, and having caught Khalid's name amongst the stream of words, Leah immediately looked up at the sympathetic appearing Yoshimo. "I will see to her," she said quickly. "It would be best if you were in your tent and sleeping while I do so."

"Yes... yes, I believe that would be for the best," Yoshimo nodded swiftly, understanding the delicate situation and quickly retreating to at least pretend to be asleep not to cause the druidess additional embarrassment.

"No... Khalid! ...no... I..." Jaheira was thrashing restlessly in the sheets as Leah crawled into her tent, the flame of the fireplace illuminating the half-elf's face, covered with beads of perspiration running down her brow. Leah gently reached out and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, giving a firm, steady shake. Jaheira's hand immediately grabbed hers and squeezed down hard, making the young priestess wince in discomfort. "What... what's going on?" the druidess ground out, still struggling to understand what was happening.

"Another nightmare," Leah said softly, waiting for Jaheira to calm down and gather her thoughts, and she slowly did so, her body eventually relaxing and losing some of that steely tension. "Tell me about it," Leah insisted.

"This one... was not quite as cruel as the previous ones. Maybe... maybe I am slowly coming to terms with it," Jaheira spoke, licking her parched lips, gratefully accepting the canteen of water that Leah passed on to her. "I saw Khalid walking in the distance, but he would not come closer, and I saw no way of reaching him. He walked together with us, from a distance, smiling that I was content. And... I guess I was."

"Perhaps he was simply happy to see that you could continue with your life, your work... travelling with the group and offering your guidance," Leah suggested.

"That makes a great deal of sense, but I did not see the whole group, there were just you and I," Jaheira replied. "But that is understandable as well, you have... tried to do much for me, as of late."

"It does not feel like much, honestly," Leah shrugged.

"Yes, but I had expected to deal with this on my own, so it does feel like a great deal," Jaheira replied, gathering a spare piece of cloth and wiping her face from the perspiration. "Nevertheless, it is appreciated."

"I don't even understand why you wanted to deal with it all by yourself," Leah shook her head disapprovingly. "What I mean to say is that... you and Khalid were married for many years... you are more used to having someone to confide in."

"Don't you dare to compare yourself to Khalid," Jaheira snarled, suddenly looking angry, making Leah back off a little. "Just because I was able to share everything with him, it does not extend you with the same courtesy. Not even close."

"Charming, but I'm not trying to take Khalid's place," Leah did not relent, then blushing as she realized that her words could have been embarrassingly misinterpreted. "I mean... I'm trying to be your confidante, and nothing else. If not me, who then? Yoshimo? Minsc and Boo? Why is it so damn difficult for you to accept my offer for help? I thought we had an agreement in place..."

"That agreement does not give you the right to judge me or tell me what to do. It allows you to listen when I want to unburden myself... which, I assure you, will not happen often," Jaheira said, her tone having lost some of its previous edge.

"We shall see about that," Leah said, a challenging smile appearing on her lips. "You know, I can be as stubborn as you at times. So once I decide that you do need to unburden yourself, I am going to pester you until you do that. Or... I guess you could always shape shift into a black bear and maul me to death. In which case I solemnly promise to come back as an annoying specter and pester you even more."

Jaheira looked up at the young priestess as if she wanted to snap back in irritation, but Leah's words together with her disarming smile quickly robbed her of those intentions. Instead, she simply barked out a harsh laughter, shaking her head in a disbelief. "We are a fine pair, you and I, are we not?" she finally chuckled. "Very well, have it your way. But you better do not call me stubborn ever again. I do not understand from where the others get this false impression, but I will not see such slander continuing."

"Yes, Jaheira, of course, Jaheira," Leah bowed her head, barely holding back her laughter. "As you say, you are not stubborn at all..."

* * *

The rest of the travel back to Athkatla was largely uneventful, except for an incident at the side of the road when they were already able to see the gates of the capital of Amn. Four thugs were mercilessly beating a single man, and would have probably finished him off for good, if not for interference of Leah and her group. The thugs unwisely decided to put up a fight, which had resulted in Yoshimo collecting valuables from their still twitching corpses. As for the victim, the man had been largely incoherent, leading to Anomen crudely dismissing him as a drunk undeserving of their charity, but Leah had not missed the look the delirious man had exchanged with Jaheira, also noticing how he had tried to inconspicuously flash a brooch shaped like a little silver crescent to the druidess, holding it in his tightly clenched fist.

Before Jaheira had managed to insist upon helping the man, Renfeld as he had groggily introduced himself, Leah was already ordering Minsc to pick him up and carry to whatever location the man would provide for them, apparently some building in the Docks District. Now, Minsc walked at the head of the group, carrying the limp and helpless Harper agent who had claimed that he was poisoned by some means that were irreversible by the curative spells in their possession. In any case, Minsc seemed completely unhindered by his added burden, and Jaheira hovered nearby, making sure that her fellow Harper agent survived the journey to the docks. This left Leah walking some way behind them, next to Anomen, Yoshimo appearing here and there, and generally being roguish and illusive.

Several times, Anomen seemed to take a deep breath as if he was about to start speaking, but only on the fourth or fifth attempt he finally managed to get the words off his tongue. "My lady, I... wish to apologize for ending our conversation so abruptly, yesterday. I hope I did not offend," he said quietly.

"As I recall, we were interrupted by Nalia and the others," Leah shrugged. "In any case, there was no offense taken."

"I am glad to hear it," Anomen nodded, looking relieved. "It simply reminded me of my sister, stuck alone in the manor with my father. She wrote to me recently, and from the letter it seemed as if she was bearing up well, but knowing Moira, she might have merely tried to ease my guilt. The situation cannot be easy on her, and I wish that eventually I might be able to find a way for her to leave and go someplace where she would be happy."

"If she would even agree to leave," Leah smiled sadly. "There are many children who feel indebted to their parents so much that they could not even fathom to abandon them, even if they are being treated appallingly poorly."

"Yes... that is my fear as well. Moira insists on staying and taking care of Lord Cor even through his drunken worst," Anomen said, shaking his head ruefully. "She can be very stubborn and sometimes refuses to see what would be best for her."

"Is that why I remind you of her?" Leah grinned, winking at the young squire.

"I... well, not only because of that," Anomen blushed, trying to gallantly recover. "But since our mother died, I think Moira can hardly imagine doing anything else. I hope that the old bastard does not treat her too harshly," his fists clenched as he spoke, before he took a deep breath and relaxed. "What about you, my lady, if I may ask? You have told me of your stepfather and of this girl Imoen who was like a sister to you. Am I to understand that you have no blood relatives at all?"

Leah hesitated a little before answering, wondering if Anomen had perhaps overheard her discussion with Yoshimo last night, or maybe Minsc would have let something escape his mouth, giving away the secrets of her true ancestry. "Why do you ask, Anomen?" she spoke, turning her head to give the squire a scrutinizing stare.

"I was... merely curious," Anomen tried, but then quickly realized that he was a very poor liar. "Very well, my lady, I shall be honest with you. My sleep is usually heavy, but I was awakened last night by some noises. I did not wish to overhear, and I tried not to, yet I could not help hearing some of the words you exchanged with that Easterner scoundrel."

"His name is Yoshimo," Leah said, a little sternly. "And yes... everything I told him about my ancestry is true. I am a daughter of Bhaal, god of murder. If you feel that travelling with a Bhaalspawn could ruin your hopes of being accepted by the Order, then... I would regret you taking leave of my company, but I would understand."

"I was not considering abandoning you, my lady," Anomen looked bewildered at the mere possibility of doing so. "You have acted honorably and have been proven to be a force of righteousness so far, and as long as you stay on this road, you will have my full support and I will remain at your side and help you walk this path of light. The Order would surely see it and judge the same way if they knew of your deeds."

"I am pleased to hear that you have such high opinion of me," Leah replied with a smile.

"There is one more thing I wanted to ask of you, though, my lady," Anomen said, a little hesitantly. "If I had not overheard the discussion with... Yoshimo. When would have you revealed the truth to me?"

"I... don't really have an answer to that, Anomen. I'm sorry," Leah shrugged. "It would have likely been soon. I feel as if I can trust you. But I was a little worried that the truth of my ancestry becoming a public knowledge could have damaged your relationship with the Order. I must confess... because of that, I had considered keeping the truth hidden from you as long as I could."

"I appreciate your honesty... but I am still glad that we were able to speak of this," Anomen said, boldly taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. "I believe that things will only turn to the better if we are honest with each other. Do you not agree with that, my lady?"

"I..." Leah said, blushing a little, having not expected the gesture of Anomen taking her hand in his. "Yes... I do agree with that..."

* * *

Less than an hour later, they had managed to traverse the labyrinthine streets of Athkatla to arrive at the Docks District. Minsc was about to follow Renfeld's directions and head to the location provided, when Yoshimo suddenly appeared by Leah's side and spoke up in a warning tone of voice. "Leah... perhaps this is a good time to tell you of something" he said quietly, hoping that the rest of the group would not overhear. "Seeing as we are entering the Docks, which are the Shadow Thief territory."

"What about it?" Leah asked, rubbing her brow thoughtfully. Yoshimo had not displayed any tension or worries during their conversation with Gaelan Bayle.

"Well, the last time they caught me operating in the city, they told me to report to the head of the guild in the Docks, Renal Bloodscalp, or suffer the consequences. I have been able to learn that Renal needs the aid of an outsider in dealing with a certain problem, and my service in solving this problem could be traded for my punishment. If I fail to report to him... things might get a little messy."

"And you sought to mention this only now?" Leah raised her voice, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at the bounty hunter. "Yoshimo, the operation to rescue Imoen hinges on my relationship with the Shadow Thieves! I cannot harbor someone who is on their bad side!"

"Now, now, things are not as bad as they seem, young lovely," Yoshimo raised his hands to placate her. "In fact, this could actually be a an opportunity to do a favor for Renal and earn some goodwill with the Shadow Thieves! Not to mention that it would avoid personal complications for me later on..."

"Damnation... you better be right about this, Yoshimo, or I will be in the market for a new rogue," Leah warned, feeling rather irritated about the way the Kara-Turan had so transparently dumped his personal issues into her lap.

"I am most assuredly right about this, Leah, you will see and agree as soon as we meet with Renal," Yoshimo said, managing to look both confident and a little apologetic as well.

"Well... fine," Leah sighed in defeat. "Let's get this Renfeld lad to safety first. Then we'll go and see your fearsome Shadow Thief guild leader..."


	11. Chapter 11

Before going to see Renal Bloodscalp at Yoshimo's sincere behest, Leah and her companions first made a detour to deliver the poisoned Harper agent, Renfeld, to the location he had specified before starting to gradually pass out from the slowly working toxin inside his bloodstream, as well as the physical exertion. Considering the man's state, Leah didn't think it would have been a wise idea to drag him through the Shadow Thief guildhall before delivering him to his Harper friends.

Once they had arrived at the _secret_ Harper base in the Docks, Leah had felt her eyebrows rise a little at the opulent and gaudy orange colored mansion that was sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the other more rundown and ramshackle buildings of the Docks. A quick glance at Jaheira revealed that the druidess was equally surprised, this kind of base feeling rather at odds with the Harper methods of operation. Nevertheless, the guard at the entrance had quickly taken Renfeld inside, then returning to reward Leah with a satchel of gold coins for their noble assistance. The guard introduced himself as Rylock, but never did reveal his affiliation to the Harpers, not even to Jaheira, and Leah was making sure to watch them both, finally concluding that they had not previously met. Of course, Leah realized that her and Jaheira's involvement would come to light in case of Renfeld's successful recovery, but she hoped that the assistance she had provided would only help her relationships with the Harpers, considering the influence of the sometimes unpredictable and mysterious organization.

However, things had become more interesting when the group of five were already back on their way to the Shadow Thief guildhouse. Along the way, they were stopped by none other than the mad Zhentarim wizard Xzar, ranting at them incoherently until Leah was finally able to comprehend his request to infiltrate the gaudy Harper base and rescue his friend, the nasty little halfling thief Montaron who had been spying on the sworn enemies of the Zhentarim. Aiding a Zhentarim agent and going against the Harper organization seemed like the worst possible career move that Leah could think of, even if Xzar promised untold riches in reward for Montaron's safe return.

That was when Xzar had dropped the name of Irenicus, immediately complicating the entire circumstance. The mad wizard claimed to have information on Irenicus, such as his location, suddenly making it very difficult for Leah to turn down his request for help. Something stirred deep within her soul, urging the young priestess to wrap her hands around Xzar's throat and simply wring the information out of him, but somehow, something made her stop at the last moment. She was about to agree to Xzar's terms, when Jaheira pulled her aside before she could utter the words, the druidess shooting her a warning glare.

"Be careful, Leah. I will understand why you would choose to ally with a Zhentarim agent for Imoen's sake, but the other Harpers will not," Jaheira said quietly. "I... might not be able to shield you from their enmity, which these actions will undoubtedly bring upon our heads."

"I said that I would do anything for Imoen's sake, and I meant it," Leah spoke sternly, staring straight ahead and avoiding Jaheira's eyes.

"This is too much of a risk, Leah, and you know it," Jaheira scowled. "Have you considered that the fool does not even have the information that he claims to possess? Or that learning of the location of this Irenicus might not bring us closer to Imoen? What if we will still lack the means of transportation to get to him? What if the Cowled Wizards imprison these deviants on another plane? This reward of information could be useless!"

"It is common knowledge that the Cowled Wizards do not hold these prisoners in Athkatla," Yoshimo subtly poked his way into the conversation. "Your druid companion raises an excellent point, Leah."

"I understand what you're both saying, but as long as there is a chance, no matter how slight, I must take it," Leah repeated stubbornly.

"Leah... if the Harpers learn that I have aided the Zhentarim in something like this, it could brand me as a traitor of the Harpers," Jaheira warned again.

"Then feel free to sit this one out," Leah shrugged, looking at her friend.

"It doesn't work like that and you know it," Jaheira hissed, becoming irritated. "You are my charge, and the Harpers know it. We only just delivered Renfeld to them together! Your actions will implicate me as well, even if I am not there... and do you know what happens to traitors of the Harpers?" Leah shook her head stiffly. "They will send one agent after another until someone succeeds in killing me. Not a single traitor has escaped their sealed fate in the long history of the organization."

"So, the chance to save Imoen comes with the price tag of your life?" Leah sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Fine. You win." She turned towards the Zhentarim mage again. "Xzar, the deal is off. Let's move on, people," the young Sorlyn added, turning around and starting to climb the steps leading up from the lower level of the docks and the piers to the upper levels where the Shadow Thief guildhouse sprawled and occupied a large part of the district.

"I am... sorry," Jaheira spoke quietly, catching up with her. "Normally, my affiliation should not be a hindrance, but..."

"Think nothing of it," Leah shrugged, trying to put the whole conversation out of her mind. "Luckily, Xzar isn't our only link to Imoen... if that was so, my decision might have been different. I would still like to know how Xzar knew about Irenicus, even if the name was all that he was truly aware of."

"He was a wizard and a Zhentarim agent," Yoshimo inserted, effortlessly slipping in to walk on the other side of Leah. "No doubt that he had connections within the Cowled Wizards, or else his kind would not be able to walk the streets openly, not even in the Docks. It is possible that he learned the name of Irenicus from his contact within the Cowled ones."

"That makes sense," Leah conceded with a sigh. "So, there's actually a good chance that he wasn't lying. But... it doesn't devaluate the points you made, Jaheira," she added hastily, noticing the guilty, downcast expression on the half-elf's face.

"Meanwhile, we have arrived," Yoshimo said, drawing their attention to the fact that they had arrived at the main entrance into the Shadow Thief guildhouse. The structure it was housed in was a peculiar one. It seemed to have once consisted from several adjacent buildings, over time fusing into one sprawling and rather ugly establishment, reminding Leah very distinctly of the thieves' guildhouse back in Baldur's Gate. She only hoped that this Renal Bloodscalp would be a more pleasant person to deal with than Alatos Ravenscar, who had sold her out to his Halruaan mage accomplice without a moment's thought.

"Is it alright for you to join us inside this Shadow Thief hive?" Leah asked, turning back to face Anomen. "We don't have to worry about some Order spy following us around and reporting on your morally questionable missteps?" she added with a cheeky smile.

"No, it is not quite that bad, my lady," Anomen replied with a smile of his own, making Leah feel relieved that he could at least take _some_ teasing with good humor. "I think I should be fine, as long as nobody does anything to force me into defending your honor, in which case I will have to follow the Order's chivalrous code of conduct."

"Yes, let's hope that the Shadow Thief leader is not of the lewd and overtly flirtatious type," Leah chuckled, the guard opening the doors for them as they approached, winking at her as if they were old acquaintances, when Leah had never even seen the man before.

Inside, the guildhall at first appeared to be very chaotically organized, thieves of every race, age and gender milling around the ground floor of the base, consisting of shelves full of contraband and stacks of barrels and boxes. A pretty half-elven lass had even set out some of the stolen merchandize on several tables in front of her, acting as a merchant, which implied that this floor of the guildhouse was accessible to a wider public than just Shadow Thief guild members. Before Leah had a chance to ask for directions, Yoshimo was already pointing at a set of stairs at the back of the cluttered main hall and without wasting more time they quickly proceeded to the second floor. Even if nobody asked them any questions or did not appear to be watching them, Leah knew they had to be under constant surveillance. Renal obviously knew that they were coming, the winking guard at the doors had been the first clue to give it away.

Renal Bloodscalp, himself a man in late forties, met them while surrounded by a group of more intense and business-like looking thugs, and Leah was reasonably certain that even more of his thieves were watching them, ready to spring into action at the first sight of trouble, not that Leah or anyone in her company intended to provoke the Shadow Thieves into hostilities. While Renal did not appear particularly physically imposing, there was something about his lean, scarred frame suggesting that while many had tried to depose him, none had ever succeeded from stopping him in rising high amongst the ranks of the Shadow Thieves and that alone was reason enough to play nice with this influential individual.

"My, my, if it isn't the freelancer, Yoshimo, come to see me at last," Renal laughed amiably, seeing them approach. "I had nearly thought that the streets had opened up and swallowed you whole, dear lad. Sometimes that tends to happen to ragtag independents infringing on our territory... I'm sure you've heard the stories, Yoshi."

"Yoshimo, if you please, sire," the Kara-Turan replied politely. "Where I come from, such a pet name is only used by... well, let us say that you and I have not become so familiar just yet, hmm?" _By Milil, I nearly called him Yoshi several times already,_ Leah groaned mentally, making a note not to use that pet name. _He probably wouldn't have corrected me either, unlike with Renal..._

"Point taken," Renal nodded. "So, have you finally come to pay the debt for your recent activities, or are we simply to trade barbs until I am forced to do something hideous? But wait..." Bloodscalp's eyes left Yoshimo and turned to examine Leah in turn, the young priestess trying to maintain her calm and neutral demeanor under the old thief's scrutinizing gaze. "I thought I had a task for you, Yoshimo, but it seems that you have done something better already. Your traveling companion is of interest to me, and you have delivered her before me. Many thanks."

"As long as my companion is not brought into danger because of my debt," Yoshimo said, sounding a little uncomfortable. "It would reflect very poorly upon my honor."

"Considering that your companion is actively seeking the aid of the Shadow Thieves in another endeavor, I do not think that hostile confrontation is in the best interests of either party," Renal chuckled, turning back to Leah. "You'll have to excuse me for not recognizing you immediately. Some of the descriptions don't do you justice. I was expecting someone of more physically intimidating stature."

"Many have made that fatal mistake in underestimating me," Leah shrugged, maintaining her impassive countenance. "I'm sure that you have benefitted from the same throughout your career."

"Wisely deduced," Renal nodded, flashing a gap-toothed smile. "So, Leah, what would you say to an opportunity to both earn a greater goodwill from the Shadow Thieves as well as smoothing out the differences between the good Yoshimo and our organization?"

"I'm interested, but like they say, the devil is in the details," Leah said, crossing her arms on her chest, giving Renal her best piercing stare, but it only seemed to make the smile on the thief's lips broaden.

"Yes, the details!" he nodded, his expression then immediately becoming cold and businesslike. "How shall I put this? One of my guildhouses to the south is run by a rather ambitious fellow named Mae'Var. Good thief, but I never liked him. Now I know why. I've had some hints that he is getting too big for himself. Thinking of taking my place, I suspect, but I've had no real evidence to say that this is so. Now, you're probably thinking, why not just eliminate him? Yes, yes, I suppose I could do that."

"Murdering your underlings without proof would send the wrong kind of message throughout the organization," Leah said thoughtfully. "You would soon have a rebellion on your hands."

"Especially with that guild war that some recent rumors speak of, my lady," Anomen leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "That other guild must be posing a very serious threat to these scoundrels for them to be so desperate to turn to outsiders like us."

"Regardless of all that..." Renal said impatiently, unwilling to acknowledge even the slightest hint that the Shadow Thieves were in danger of losing some of their turf. "We have come to your part in all this. I would like you to go to Mae'Var and join his guild. I will give you the papers saying that you are being transferred by the Shadow Master. You will spy on Mae'Var from the inside and find me the evidence that I need."

"I do not see why you need a large group to infiltrate the guild of this Mae'Var," Leah shrugged. "This would be a task perfectly suited to Yoshimo alone. In fact..." her eyes fell on Minsc, smiling broadly as he absentmindedly stroked Boo's fur, and then onto Anomen, his shining and well polished armor standing out like a glowing beacon amidst the thief guildhouse. "I do not think that some of my friends are well suited for a covert mission of this sort."

"The truth is that I do not care how you accomplish this task, Leah," Renal said, a little distractedly. "You may wish to assign Yoshimo to take care of his own mess single handedly, and that is fine by me. Or you may choose to assist him. I care little, as long as I see results on the table."

Ignoring the worried stare that Yoshimo was sending in her direction, Leah continued to press on with her own questions. "You spoke of a mutually beneficial arrangement," the priestess of Milil spoke sternly. "So far I have only heard of how this all will benefit you. What do we get out of this deal?"

"The arrangement that you have struck with Gaelan Bayle," Renal said simply. Leah raised an eyebrow, waiting on him to continue. "I am aware that twenty thousand gold is not a small sum. Fulfill this task for me, and I will speak with the Shadow Master about knocking several thousand gold off that target."

"Ten thousand gold," Leah said boldly, knowing that Renal would never agree to reduce the cost so drastically.

"You jest, dear girl," Renal smiled at her. "Three thousand is the most I can promise you."

"Five?" Leah tried one more time, Yoshimo making a warning gesture to her and whispering something about never haggling with a man like Renal.

"Listen to Yoshimo. I do not hail from Amn originally, and do not view haggling as an art," Renal said simply. "In fact, it is the best way to insult me. I will let this slide because you are... so very easy on the eye, girl," he added with a wink. "Three thousand gold, and I will add some magical baubles from my own collection. This will have to satisfy, or else... your overall relationship with the Shadow Thieves will become unnecessarily sour."

"Very well, we agree," Leah finally nodded after a moment of silence, Renal rubbing his hands and looking pleased. Several minutes later, Leah and her companions found themselves standing back outside the guildhouse, Leah holding the papers that she was meant to present to Gorch, storekeep at the guildhouse of Mae'Var.

"Boo says we are going to play thieves now?" Minsc asked, looking disturbingly excited about the prospect, shaking Leah back to the harsh reality.

"Err... not right now, Minsc," she said, patting the large ranger on the arm. Then she pressed the papers in the hands of the unpleasantly surprised looking Yoshimo. "No, I don't intend to just leave you alone on this, Yoshimo," she said, smiling at the worried rogue. "But with the way we currently appear... only you could pass for someone that the Shadow Master himself would have transferred to serve Mae'Var. I suppose Jaheira and I could manage to look like half-convincing rogues with some work, but not as we are right now."

"Minsc knows how to be stealthy!" the ranger protested, looking disappointed.

"Yes, Minsc, in the forest or a swamp, but not inside a guildhouse," Leah replied with sympathetic smile. "Still, this is no reason to waste time, which is why I want you to go to Mae'Var's guildhouse immediately and get started, Yoshimo. Dig up as much information as you can, and perhaps you can think of a convincing way to get the rest of us inside the guildhouse. Or alternatively, Jaheira and I will dress up as stealthy rogues and join you later."

"Hmm, very well... I can lay down some ground work, as you wish it, Leah," Yoshimo finally acceded, agreeing with Leah's reasoning. "And what will you be doing in the meantime?"

"Visit to the Council of Six building," Leah replied, turning around to leave. "Time to sort out that magical license... or at least find out what kind of exorbitant bribe those Cowled Wizards are asking for..."

* * *

Following a rather unpleasant conversation with a Cowled Wizard representative named Corneil, Leah found herself standing in a discreet corner inside the Council of Six building and stuffing the parchment that apparently served as a license to allow arcane spellcasting within the city limits, into her now considerably lighter coin purse. "Ugh, I can't believe it took five thousand gold to acquire this," she cursed, feeling genuinely irritated. "That was all the reward from Nalia and then some. At least the license isn't made for a specific person, just one wizard traveling in my company... because I'm still not sure whether we'll be relying on Nalia or Aerie more..."

"How much have these expenses set us back, my lady?" Anomen inquired politely.

"Well... we're back down to less than hundred gold," Leah sighed. "Barely enough to cover the cost of accommodations we will need for tonight."

"Boo is prepared to make a sacrifice and pass on the double helping of nuts and berries for the good of the group, little Leah," Minsc offered kindly.

"Tell Boo that his noble sacrifice will not be forgotten, Minsc," Leah shook her head, then letting out a laugh, the jovial expression on the large ranger's face never failing to cheer her up. "I guess with the license business out of the way, we can be off again... Jaheira?" she turned to her friend, listening in on some conversation with a disgusted expression on her face.

"Do not mind me," the druidess looked back at her. "Simply overhearing the chatter between some clerks. They are rushing to see a public burning of some hapless drow. Pathetic."

"Sounds rather sickening... is this kind of thing legal here in Amn?" Leah turned towards Anomen.

"I am sure that her guilt is proven beyond doubt, my lady," the squire replied, not looking utterly convinced. "However, without knowing all the details..."

"I see... well, from everything I've seen so far here in this Council of Six building, I'm not sure that your much valued sense of justice and righteousness is appropriately honored and served within these walls," Leah said, looking around the halls, her stare lingering at the figures of Magistrate Bylanna Lanulin and Chief Inspector Brega in particular, her inquiries about Imoen's fate to them both hitting a dead end, both officials candidly admitting that the Cowled Wizards openly stonewalled them on every matter that involved magic. "I hope you don't mind if we go and see what is happening with that drow by ourselves."

"Of course not, my lady," Anomen replied proudly. "If justice is not served, it is our duty to interfere, as Helm would want it."

Leah simply nodded to that, before leading her group out of the government building and across the little park to where she could already see a large crowd forming in front of the Athkatla Prison. The short walk gave her a brief moment to reflect on a couple more job opportunities that had dropped into her lap during the visit to the Government District. First, she had been invited to talk with a Cowled Wizard named Tolgerias, a very haughty and arrogant mage, even for one of the Cowlies. Tolgerias had requested her aid in tracking down a renowned hater of mages, some nobleman named Valygar Corthala. Apparently, this man had slaughtered two of the Cowled Wizards already, so Tolgerias was naturally incensed and offered them a great amount of coins as well as magical items for their assistance.

Of course, Leah had immediately jumped on the chance to pester this Tolgerias fellow with questions about Imoen, asking the Cowled Wizard to expedite her friend's release instead of a monetary reward, but the mage had not wanted to listen to any of her demands, growing increasingly angrier until Leah had to settle for a promise that Tolgerias would look into the matter and see what he could do for Imoen's sake. The task itself, however, was a little puzzling for Leah, and since the Cowled Wizards seemed like the kind of organization that was difficult to place trust in, she resolved to be particularly careful while working on this case. It was not quite clear why the Cowled Wizards would not track this murderer down themselves, considering that they certainly had the manpower, as well as help of powerful divination tools. Also, Tolgerias' mention that he required Valygar's body, dead or alive, was more than a little strange and made Leah wonder whether the Cowled mage was a necromancer who planned to raise Valygar as a ghoul as a sadistic form of punishment for killing his mage fellows.

Tolgerias had suggested to check out Valygar's house at the docks, as well as his land property near the Umar Hills, and this coincided with the other task that Leah had stumbled across, a messenger from the town of Imnesvale in those same Umar Hills coming to seek aid with a string of mysterious murder cases that had sent the inhabitants of the countryside into a state of panic, prompting the mayor of the small community to turn to traveling adventurers for aid with the problems plaguing his town. The messenger, a young lad named Delon, begged them to travel to Imnesvale at the first opportunity and to speak with Minister Lloyd, the mayor of the town. Leah made a promise to do so, adding yet another mission to their encouragingly growing list of tasks, which hopefully also meant increasing income into the Imoen rescue fund.

By now, they had reached the thick crowd of people eagerly waiting for the drow to be burned on the stake, listening to a pair of fanatics ranting at the crowd about the inherent evil of the drow and about invoking the will of Beshaba that would apparently be pleased to see this drow suffer a most horrific death. The crowd seemed as if they didn't particularly care about the concerns of faith, but simply wanted to see the spectacle and listen to the screams of pain from the captured victim's mouth.

"Ah yes, there is the drow, my lady," Anomen spoke. Being slightly taller, he had spotted the tied up dark elf first, Leah's eyes widening in surprise as she now also could get a clear look at the captured woman, recognizing her instantly. "I had not thought the drow could be so... striking. A beautiful creature, this, if devoid of compassion as I hear," he added, making Leah glare at him instantly.

"She is not a _creature_ , Anomen," she snapped angrily. "Her name is Viconia de Vir, and she is an old friend of mine." Anomen looked completely dumbstruck at that. "And by Milil, I'm not going to stand here and watch her get burned by these Beshaban fanatics! Wait here," Leah said harshly, starting to press through the crowd, Anomen seemingly frozen with hesitation while Jaheira and Minsc swiftly moved to follow Leah, not letting the girl out of their sights.

There seemed to be only two of the Beshaban faithful, running the entire show and still ranting and riling up the crowd, however, they were watched over by four of the guards from the nearby prison. Leah avoided the Beshabans for now and headed straight for the best armored of the men, assuming them for the leader of the guards, summoning a friendly smile when the burly man fixed her with a questioning stare, his hand first going for the hilt of his sword, then relaxing when he noticed that he was being approached by an attractive young woman. "Just trying to get a better place from which to watch the show," Leah offered, continuing to smile, watching how the guard relaxed instantly. "Enjoying it as well?" she asked.

"Not at all. I think everyone who comes to watch these executions is... a little sick, if you would pardon me, lass," the guard said, surprising Leah slightly. "But these Beshabans pay well, and the job of the guard doesn't really fill the coin purse as well as a man needs, if you get my meaning," he winked at the young priestess. "Besides, we are not wasting the time of the courts. Everybody wins."

"So, you just sell some prisoners to the Beshabans from time to time to fill your pockets?" Leah asked, trying to keep the rising anger from her voice as the guard nodded simply. "And this drow, has she actually... done something illegal?"

"Not that I know of," the guard shrugged. "She was detained on the suspicion of being a drow. Since nobody knows her and she is a complete stranger to the city, she was my first choice to sell to these bastards."

"I see..." Leah muttered, watching with increasing worry as the Beshabans were starting to get ready to set fire to the stake. "Tell me, you have already received your coins from them, have you not?" The guard nodded at her again. "I don't suppose I could convince you to... I don't know, perhaps head back inside the prison and forget about guarding these idiots?"

"Much as I'd love that... what would be our incentive?" the guard commander asked. "I presume you harbor violence towards them, but as despicable as they are, they provide extra income for us. What could you possibly offer to make us turn a blind eye?"

"Well... I can't bribe you, I'm afraid," Leah admitted ruefully, then grinning and winking coquettishly at the guard. "But... there might be alternative ways for me to show you my gratitude..."

The guard definitely looked very interested, even if he still appeared reluctant. "Oh, I don't know, girl, you're very easy on the eye for sure, but..."

"That drow about to be burnt on the stake... she's actually my friend. Her name is Viconia," Leah pressed home the advantage, continuing to smile seductively. "If you allow us to free her, I'm sure that she would also join me in showing you that certain kind of gratitude... and you know what they say about the drow and their knowledge of those particular arts..."

"Hmm... alright, but you better not be playing any tricks with me, because if you are, we will find you and you'll both end up on the stake, you get it?" the guard asked, clearly excited about the prospect of female companionship.

"Of course I understand... and I assure you, there are no tricks," the young priestess smiled broadly. "Stop by the Copper Coronet this evening and ask around for Leah. I will be waiting for you together with my friend, I promise."

"Well... alright," the guard leader finally nodded, turning around and ushering his slightly surprised fellows back inside the prison building, leaving the Beshabans, now working to properly set fire to the stake, without their honor guard.

"Minsc!" Leah ordered, having noticed that her friends had caught up with her by now. She pointed at the two frantically working fanatics. "Take them out, now!"

"Minsc and Boo will happily apply righteous head banging of justice to the villains who would hurt little Viconia," the ranger bellowed excitedly, picking up the two struggling fanatics by their collars and then crashing their heads together, sending them both tumbling on the ground unconscious, the crowd gasping, some already turning to run away in fear.

"Jaheira?" Leah turned to ask, then noticing that the druidess was already cutting the ropes that held Viconia tied to the stake.

"Already on it," the half-elf snapped her reply, cutting the final rope, as Viconia gracefully jumped off from the stake and approached her savior, looking grateful as she embraced Leah.

"My thanks for your timely intervention, _abbil_ ," she said, clearly pleased to see her old comrade with whom they had traveled all across the Sword Coast. "These _rivvin_ are mad, they were about to burn me alive simply for being a drow!"

"Well, we're going to give them a taste of their own medicine," Leah said sternly, earning an approving look from Viconia, and a slightly shocked one from Anomen as soon as she uttered her next words. "Minsc, tie them both to the stake in Viconia's place. The crowd came here to see a spectacle... I do not want them to go home unsatisfied..."

"My lady... are you certain this is a just course of action?" Anomen asked, looking hesitant. Jaheira also did not look entirely comfortable, but Minsc as always showed no reaction, gladly tying the unconscious fanatics to the stake.

"I'm not always a very nice person, Anomen," Leah replied with a fake smile. "Especially not when someone threatens my friends... not like this..."

"I... understand," Anomen bowed his head. "They have been practicing this unjust punishment for some time, it appears. Perhaps... perhaps it is only right that they suffer it themselves."

"There is a certain irony in turning the tables on them, I agree," Jaheira noted, seemingly also coming to approve of Leah's decision after some internal debating. "I suppose you will want to bring Viconia along, yes?"

"Of course little Viconia will come with us!" Minsc announced cheerfully. "She is our responsibility now! Minsc and Boo will make sure that she does not run into any more trouble!"

"What Minsc and Boo said," Leah chuckled, looking at the mildly exasperated drow. "Viconia, if you please..." she said, pointing at the stake.

"Of course, _abbil_ ," the drow grinned broadly, uttering a short prayer to Shar, summoning a strike of flame from the sky that quickly ignited the stake.

As the five of them walked away, the crowd behind them erupted in a grand cheer at the first cry of pain from the burning fanatics.


	12. Chapter 12

With no other pressing matters to attend to other than to wait on Yoshimo's return from the docks, Leah led her group back to the slums and the Copper Coronet, the only inn in this city where they could afford lodgings. Once there, Jaheira went to secure their rooms for the night, leaving Leah and Viconia to sit down at one of the more secluded small tables in the corner of the tavern, not that it afforded them with much privacy. Anomen seemed to correctly sense that the two women wished to remain alone and catch up on things, instead joining to sit with Jaheira at another table, Minsc retreating to the room he would be sharing with the young squire and Yoshimo, announcing the intent to give Boo his regular hamster bath.

"So..." Viconia started, giving Leah an appraising stare. "I was praying for some kind of divine intervention while I was tied to that stake, but I certainly did not expect it to arrive in your shape, _abbil_. What has brought you so far from the Heartlands, Leah?"

"We got jumped soon after leaving Baldur's Gate," Leah replied, wincing at the unpleasant memory. "We were taken by complete surprise, there was no way we could have stood up to those... I don't think they were mere bounty hunters. Your instincts proved right when you decided to disappear from the Gate while the rest of us were still dealing with countless party invitations to celebrate our heroic deeds."

"Yes, you seemed to be enjoying the attention a great deal," Viconia smirked. "What made you leave the city in the first place? Let me guess... the praises and the adoration ran out, and the ungrateful _rivvin_ quickly forgot that you had saved them all?"

"Something like that, yes," Leah admitted reluctantly. To this day, she did not know who had spread those rumors about her ancestry to the people of Baldur's Gate, effectively forcing her to leave the city. Now it occurred to her that it could have very well been a part of the plan by Irenicus, or the men that he had sent to capture them. "Anyway... we ended up captured by some crazy mage who locked us into his dungeon below Athkatla for many months... experimenting on me... torturing me... I guess he was fascinated by my... nature. I think you know what I refer to."

"I do," Viconia nodded. "The undeniable, hidden power within you that makes you so appealing to follow, _abbil_. You are interesting to many... myself included."

"Well, as long as you promise not to dissect me on a table somewhere, I suppose I will tolerate this interest," Leah rolled her eyes, taking a sip of the cheap, watered down wine, the only kind they could afford right now.

"Still, you seem to have come out of that ordeal without any new scars... at least not physical ones," Viconia noted, refusing to touch the wine that probably offended her delicate senses.

"I would have preferred to keep the physical ones," Leah muttered unhappily. "And that mad mage, Irenicus... Imoen is still with him. The Cowled Wizards took them away and imprisoned both of them... and I must find out where they took them. That's... essentially my goal right now."

"Ah yes, Imoen," Viconia said, scowling a little at the memory. "Well, if you're certain that having that insufferably prattling girl back with us would improve the company you keep, who am I to judge?"

"You know perfectly well that I would never abandon her," Leah spoke with a deep frown. "She is like a sister to me, and you also grew quite fond of her during our travels together, though of course you are too proud to ever admit it."

"I would have liked her far more if she had mastered the fine art of remaining silent," Viconia grinned. "It is amusing that for you simply stating that you share a bond like siblings, implies... such devotion? To a drow stating words 'you are like a sister to me' would imply that you will plot to hasten their demise by all means possible. I had to contribute to thinning the De Vir familiar herd myself... but thankfully for you, I have spent enough time on the surface to observe these stark differences between my people and yours."

"Charming cultural clue, indeed," Leah chuckled, chugging down more of the horribly bland wine. At least the more of it she consumed, the less offending it seemed to taste. "Anyway, enough about me. What have you been up to since leaving Baldur's Gate?"

Viconia's face immediately twisted with a brief reflection of anger and she looked about to grab the bottle of cheap wine and pour some of the liquid for herself despite the offending taste, but she managed to hold herself back, her expression slowly changing back to neutral. "After everything we went through, chasing after your mad half-brother, I simply needed a place where I could... stop and rest, if for a few months," eventually the drow began to speak. "But finding a place where I would be accepted seemed impossible. Finally, I tried to purchase some land on the outskirts of Beregost, using my part of the spoils we had acquired and dropping your good name when necessary. I had also learned the important lesson to stay hooded at all times, claiming that I had suffered from magical burns that made my skin particularly sensitive to sunlight. In the end I was successful and once the deal was done, a few of the locals even helped me settle in. That was when I met my closest neighbor... Roran Midfallow, a stout, sunburned farmer."

"Judging by the way you spat out that name... I take it that the two of you did not become good friends?" Leah asked, a little jokingly.

For some reason Viconia glowered angrily back at the young human before once again calming down and continuing her story. "At first we actually formed an awkward friendship. He seemed very helpful, often bringing me supplies that I had difficulties acquiring myself. It wasn't until a few months later, when on a warm summer day I grew careless and lowered my hood, allowing him to discover my identity. Much to my surprise, he did not run back to the village to summon a crowd that would come to stone me to my death. No... he simply smiled, eyeing me appreciatively and appearing intrigued..."

"Oh god... it's not... that kind of story, is it?" Leah asked, having paled a little, mentally slapping herself for joking about it just now.

"He mentioned that his oldest son, Jiscanan, was busy making a feast and that I was invited," Viconia continued in a morbid tone of voice. "We walked to his farmhouse, where his other son, a surly oaf named Funnard, was working with a sickle in the front yard. When I reached his farmhouse, I learned Roran's true intentions. Somebody hit me in the back of my skull, and the ground rushed up to meet me. I woke up to searing pain. While unconscious, they had abused and tortured me... then tried to bury their sins. I could see nothing except for the lid of a coffin."

"That is... completely and utterly sick," Leah hissed, her cheeks burning with anger from the mere thought of someone acting so despicably. "How could you possibly managed to get out of that mess?"

"By being a drow, _abbil_ ," Viconia smiled thinly. "The pain of their abuse and torture stung, but it was nothing compared to what I had gone through at the mercies of the Handmaidens. They had made the mistake of not killing me, so with some effort, I clawed myself out of my grave and then set about wreaking my vengeance upon them."

"Please, I want every detail," Leah begged, hair standing on her neck from the burning need to hear about these defilers suffering horribly.

"I watched the house and waited, listening to them celebrate their victory in the midst of drunkenness. Eventually, Jiscanan, the oldest son, left to use the outhouse. I jammed a stake in the door, trapping him inside. Then I set the building aflame, much like those Beshaban cultists. Soon enough Roran came running, yelling to Funnard. As he stood helpless before the flames, I wrapped a garrote around his neck... I whispered to him of his mistake to underestimate a Drow, before tightening the wire until he breathed no more. By this time the other son, Funnard, returned with a bucket from the well to find his father's corpse and his brother a smoldering ember. He dropped to his knees in shock, which afforded me a height advantage as I caved in his head with a miner's mallet."

"Good," Leah said, emptying the rest of her cup and then pouring herself more wine with slightly shaking hands. "Good... I'm glad you had your vengeance."

"I see you are not disturbed by the grim tale," Viconia said, giving Leah an approving look. "It is good to see that you agree with my treatment of these men, _abbil_. No doubt that the others would use my actions as evidence of the innate corruption of my people."

"These men abused your trust, tortured you and buried you alive!" Leah exclaimed, then clamping a palm over her mouth when she realized that she had raised her voice, but with the overall volume of the Copper Coronet being exceedingly loud, nobody had even spared a glance in her direction. "I'm sorry... and when you said that they had abused you, it probably meant... you know..." Viconia merely nodded grimly at that. "There's... no excuse that I can think of, really. You were entitled to do as you please with those pigs. I do not begrudge you taking revenge at all, I would have wanted the same in your place."

"Those months of imprisonment and torture have changed you, _abbil_ ," Viconia remarked, looking at Leah thoughtfully. "You always had a... quiet, serene strength about you, but now it has been given an edge of sharp steel. I find this change most intriguing..."

"I would have preferred not to go through those particular experiences, but what's done is done," Leah shrugged. "Still, I would prefer not to be reminded of my time in that sadist's care, if you please, Viconia."

"As you would have it, Leah," Viconia said indifferently, turning to look with distaste at the other, mostly drunk patrons of the place, before speaking up again. "Tell me about the way you secured the means of my release, then. I noticed that you were conversing with the prison guards before they all returned to their barracks. How did you manage to convince them to leave?"

"I told the commander of the guard that we both would reward him with... umm, shall we say, pleasures of the flesh," Leah explained, blushing slightly as she spoke. "In fact, the man should be arriving here shortly to claim his prize."

For a moment, Viconia looked a little stunned, before letting out an amused chortle. "Very good, Leah... very good, I was almost about to ask whether you actually intended to follow through with that promise," the drow laughed. "I am glad that you have taken to my advice to use your... feminine charms, when an opportunity presents itself."

"It will never be my first tool of choice, but... I could not think of anything else at the moment," Leah admitted. "Besides, I wanted to give you the opportunity to deal as you see fit with the one who had sold you to the Beshabans."

"The sentiment is... greatly appreciated, my friend," Viconia smiled, appearing grateful. "Since you obviously have no interest in this foolish _jaluk_ , what would you say if I would lead this man somewhere private once he arrives? I would make sure that he is never heard from again."

"Suits me just fine," Leah shrugged. "An accomplice to those despicable practices of Beshaba's faithful... I think that removing someone like him from the post of the captain of the prison guard would be doing this city a big service."

"You are surprisingly, but pleasantly amiable, _abbil_ ," Viconia's smile broadened. "I cannot recall you being quite this reasonable before." She glanced across the rows of tables and the massive fire pit in the centre of the tavern, looking on at the newcomers near the entrance. "I believe there comes the man we have been waiting for, Leah. Ah yes... he will make a fair sacrifice to the Lady of Loss..."

* * *

While Leah and Viconia were animatedly talking amongst themselves, two of their companions were sat at another table, but they had barely exchanged a few words amongst them over the past half hour. Anomen's eyes kept drifting back towards the other table where the two priestesses were talking, no matter how much he struggled to keep his curious gaze away. Next to him, Jaheira had been nursing the tankard of watered-down ale in her hands for a long while without showing any intention of actually taking a sip. The druidess seemed to be observing the surroundings indifferently, and now and then Anomen caught her looking in the direction of the corpulent barkeep of the establishment, nodding as if she wanted to beckon the man over and perhaps order something, but the barkeep seemingly ignored her.

Soon enough, Anomen began to grow restless and uncomfortable at the forced silence at their table, and when both Leah and Viconia broke out in laughter over something at the other table, he could no longer remain silent, turning towards his stony-faced companion. "Lady Jaheira... might I pose a question that has been troubling me for a good while?" he finally dared to ask. The druidess looked at him, but did not speak, Anomen taking it for a permission to continue. "This... Viconia de Vir. Lady Leah seems to know and... trust her? I have heard of Drow only as treacherous creatures, my lady... what do you make of Viconia? Can we trust her?"

"I doubt you should place particular trust in her, Anomen," Jaheira smirked. "But strangely enough, I think we can trust her as much as not to betray us. Most unexpectedly, she proved to be completely loyal to Leah during our travels across the Sword Coast. At times I was deeply concerned about her traveling with our group, fearing that she might not be the best influence for Leah, especially when Viconia had only just joined our group. But she proved to be less confrontational than I feared, and Leah managed to convince me that she was mature enough to decide for herself which of Viconia's... advice to listen to, and which to ignore."

"Then we can expect no difficulties due to her presence?" Anomen looked relieved. "I am glad to hear that. The knights at the Order would be most... perplexed to find me traveling alongside a priestess of Shar."

"Oh, I can assure you that Viconia's presence will most definitely make things more interesting," Jaheira smiled thinly. "She will not make your life easy, Anomen. Sometimes she will simply seek to bait and provoke the others. Sometimes her insults will origin in her simply being who she is, and the kind of horrible upbringing her people are exposed to. She will be hurtful simply because she doesn't know any better. The key is to not respond to her provocation... something that is not always easy..."

"I see..." Anomen's face had again darkened a little as he watched Leah and Viconia at their table. "I will attempt to control my temper if the Drow attempts anything. I thank you for these words of advice, Lady Jaheira."

"I hope you remember these words when Viconia's eyes turn on you in search of a new victim to torment," Jaheira spoke, clearly not having much faith in Anomen's ability to control his temper. Their conversation died down as the druidess turned to look at the other table, watching an armored man approaching the two women and engaging them in a brief conversation. After a while, the man departed together with Viconia, looking very excited as the two of them walked upstairs. However, Jaheira had not missed the subtle little gesture of the Drow checking the dagger at her belt as her cloak had parted for a moment.

"Some of the tales I have heard of the Drow also mention this... aspect of their behavior as well," Anomen snorted, looking disgusted. Jaheira merely smiled at his outburst, not seeing the need to correct him about Viconia's true intentions, her attention already focused back on Leah, the young priestess getting up and coming to join them at their table, having been abandoned by Viconia.

"Surely you won't mind if I join your riveting conversation, yes?" Leah sat down with a quirky smile, prompting quick assurances from Anomen, unable to quite hide his obvious delight about the young Sorlyn's presence.

"Was that the prison guard commander from earlier today?" Jaheira asked, abruptly pointing at the stairs leading to the upper floor.

"Yes," Leah confirmed quickly. "The very same that sold Viconia to those fanatics. I thought it was only fair."

"Of course," Jaheira nodded. Anomen still looked a little confused, staring inquiringly at them both in turn. "Only Viconia will be returning downstairs, Anomen," the druidess finally took pity on the squire.

"Oh," Anomen only said. While the scoundrel no doubt deserved even worse than what the Drow would do to him for his perversion of justice, the young squire still felt a little unsettled by the ruthless practicality and ease with which the two women at the table discussed it, especially if in Leah's case, this jaded rationality bore such a youthful, innocent and beautiful face.

"You know, there is something strange happening in this inn," Jaheira suddenly remarked after a bout of silence. "And before you say anything, I mean something strange beyond it simply being an incredibly filthy pit of depravity. I have noticed several patrons entering and immediately making a beeline for the back rooms. As far as I see, others are not even allowed inside, the guards are there to ensure that. Some of these patrons who enter look like they might be respectable well-off citizens, perhaps even nobles, dressed in inconspicuous rags to avoid recognition."

"I have been spending a good amount of time in this cesspool of corruption, yet I have failed to notice any of this," Anomen blinked, looking rather surprised. "Your observational skills astound me, Lady Jaheira!"

"I would say that you are too easily impressed, Anomen," Jaheira smiled. "And I have certain... experience and training to notice such things. It is nothing remarkable, I assure you."

Leah nodded at that, realizing that Jaheira subtly referred to her work as a Harper. The druidess rarely spoke about her past with the shadowy organization, and while Leah was extremely curious, certain that her friend had plenty of exciting stories to share, she had always been able to reign in her interest. "Any ideas what they could be up to in there?" the young priestess asked. "Black Lotus den?"

"That would be the least harmless possibility," Jaheira grumbled. "I am worried that it could be something worse..."

"Maybe we should take the time and poke around, see what they're up to?" Leah suggested, Jaheira nodding thoughtfully. "Right now, though, I don't want to commit to something else while we're waiting for Yoshimo to return... and speaking of Yoshimo..." she looked at the familiar face of the Kara-Turan, swiftly forcing himself through the raucous crowd of patrons, waving to the rogue, but he had obviously noticed them already, heading straight for their table, choosing to sit down between her and Anomen, ignoring the slight frown on the squire's face.

"Well... that was an interesting experience," Yoshimo finally remarked, having chugged down some of the watered-down wine to help him gather his bearings. "Unfortunately, you will not be able to use the transfer documents now that I have already made use of them, so we will need to find an alternative way to get you inside Mae'Var's guildhouse... and it so happens that I have some ideas in that regard."

"If you're certain you don't want to fly solo on this one," Leah teased.

"I'm quite certain," Yoshimo replied, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Tell us what you have learned, Yoshimo," Jaheira prompted, the first one to lose patience.

"This Mae'Var is one particularly unlikable fellow," Yoshimo began to explain. "He makes Renal appear like the friendliest thief I've ever met. Of course, Mae'Var was immediately suspicious of me and made me jump through several hoops to prove my loyalty... I will not elaborate, but I doubt that I have seen the end of these loyalty tests. Oh, and young lovely, you will not like to hear this... Mae'Var loves to spend most of his time down in his personal little dungeon. It reminded me starkly of the place where we met... he's got everything down there, torture racks, all the implements... when I was led down there to be introduced to him, Mae'Var was busy working on one of his victims... let's just say that it was very unpleasant..."

Leah's face had gone pale as she listened, hands gripping the edge of the table fiercely as she was buy trying to fight off waves of nausea. "I... perhaps it was for the best that we didn't join you, after all..." she eventually managed. "I'm not certain I could have maintained my disguise in the face of all that."

"Take heart, my lady. This villain will not hurt you, we will make sure of it," Anomen gallantly offered with a supportive smile.

"I doubt that your friend Renal is someone who would refuse to torture his enemies if it could get him what he wants," Jaheira remarked simply. "But I digress. You mentioned that you have discovered a way for us to get into the guildhouse... if you truly require our aid with gathering evidence against this Mae'Var."

"Your aid would be appreciated," Yoshimo said hopefully. "And my plan is very simple... Mae'Var's guild oversees the streetwalkers operating at the docks and the Sea's Bounty, as well as several brothels of the Docks District. I made a mention that I might be able to secure the services of several upper class courtesans for a sizable cut and one of Mae'Var's lieutenants appeared interested, asking me to bring the 'merchandize' over for inspection. So, I was wondering if..."

"If we would agree to dress up like streetwalkers, and then you could get us into the guildhouse," Leah finished with a smile.

"Surely you will not agree to submit yourself to such humiliation, my lady?" Anomen asked, looking bewildered.

"Well, I'm not going to enjoy the experience, but if it helps us get the job done then why not?" Leah shrugged. "I think we can pull it off. Jaheira, what about you?"

"I am not letting you into the lion's den with only Yoshimo watching over you," Jaheira replied sternly. "And it might surprise you, but I have no issues with this kind of deception. My... line of work has required me to act in various roles... and do not even think of asking me, because I will not elaborate."

"Too embarrassing?" Yoshimo winked cheekily.

"If you knew the truth, I might have to kill you," Jaheira warned, not looking as if she was joking, either.

"And we don't want that," Leah intervened quickly, then looking up to see Viconia descending down the stairs, the Drow grinning in smug satisfaction, looking particularly pleased. Leah decided that she didn't really care to know the specific details of what had happened with the prison guard commander, instead turning to introduce the Drow to Yoshimo, the bounty hunter already staring Viconia down with a very interested look in his eyes. "Yoshimo, please meet Viconia de Vir. She is an old friend, and she will be traveling with us from now on."

"My, my, young lovely, you attract the most charming companions to your side, I must say," Yoshimo said smoothly, moving to take Viconia's hand with the obvious intent to kiss it, but the Drow withdrew it swiftly, glaring at the rogue. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Viconia," the Kara-Turan grinned, undeterred by the cool reception.

"I'm sure," Viconia snapped, sitting down and looking at Leah. "Who is this fool _jaluk_?"

"Yoshimo handles all the rogue-related issues of the group, Viconia," Leah replied with a smile. "Now, tell me, my friend..." she beamed at the puzzled looking Drow. "How would you like to do a little dress up and infiltration of a thieves' guildhall in order to spy on them?"

"I'm sure there's a reason why I should be interested," Viconia remarked listlessly.

"Well, at least dressing up as a whore will come naturally to one of us," Jaheira said, unable to stop a little chuckle from escaping her lips. "There is just one caveat, Leah," she looked at the young priestess again. "We do not have nearly enough gold to afford us passable disguises."

"Hmm... well, I'm sure that we could find something at Renal's guildhall, some black market goods that he would be willing to donate for common cause," Leah suggested. "In fact... since the evening is still young and we have nothing better to do, why don't we head over there right now and play a little game of dressing up?"

"If you truly insist on going through with this... questionable plan, my lady, I insist on joining you," Anomen said, rising from the table together with them. "You will undoubtedly benefit from the extra protection."

"Umm, Anomen... actually, I had something else in mind for you..." Leah said uncomfortably, blushing a little. "I was going to ask whether you could return to the barracks of your Order and spend the night there. I need you to gather some information for us from your fellow squires and knights... see what you can learn about Lord Jierdan Firkraag, that mage hater Valygar Corthala, and also whether someone knows something about the Cowled Wizards and what they are doing with these so called magical deviants..."

"I... see," Anomen said, looking obviously disappointed, but still recognizing the importance of the task that was assigned to him. "In that case, I resolve to discover as much as I can while back with the Order. I will report back with my findings tomorrow morning, my lady."

"I knew I could rely on you, Anomen," Leah said, placing her hand on the young squire's shoulder, noticing how he blushed immediately. "As for the rest of us... it's back to the docks!"


	13. Chapter 13

Renal Bloodscalp was very much responsive to Yoshimo's idea and showed Leah and the two other women of the group to an empty room in the Shadow Thieves' guildhall, where three rather scantily dressed ladies soon showed up with a variety of clothes for them to try on and help them with their streetwalker disguises. The women helping them get dressed did not speak much, but from their brief conversations Leah gathered that they lived here at the guildhouse and served as concubines to those high up in the organization. They certainly looked comely enough and did not have the tired, lifeless look in their dull eyes as the whores servicing the sailors at the docks.

Leah had at first turned down several of the offered dresses, deeming them far too risky. The key was to find the balance between appearing attractive, but not too inviting because she certainly did not want to give some of Mae'Var's lackeys or the man himself the idea to sample the merchandize first. They would all be carrying concealed daggers in their boots or strapped to their thighs, but the idea was to act so that they didn't have to use their weapons. In the end, Leah settled for a simple but beautiful blue dress which had moderate cleavage, but nothing too outrageous, and as one of the concubines helped her with sorting her hair and applying a few touches of makeup, the girl could not help but to idly wish that Anomen had come with them after all, finding herself chuckling inwardly at the thought of stunning the young priest with her appearance. _Hmm, maybe they won't say anything if we fail to return these clothes... especially if we're successful at our task,_ an idea occurred to her suddenly.

Her short chestnut brown hair did not demand much attention in getting sorted out, the woman assisting her deciding to leave the ponytail as it was, only combing the hair to shape a few strategically formed locks to frame her high, regal brow. Subtle touches of eye shadow, dark mascara and dark red lipstick helped to create a rather highborn looking appearance and Leah could hardly stop staring at herself in the mirror, starting to fear that the concubine helping her had done a little too good of a job.

Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Leah turned around to look at how her friends were currently enduring this game of dressing up. Jaheira had suffered it stoically, at least by her own standards, Leah having heard the mutterings of the concubine assisting her that she was not paid enough to deal with someone so frustrating. The druidess had gone with the predictable color green, her dress having a high collar as Jaheira obviously had no wish to put herself on display for someone like these thieves. Still, her garment of choice showed off a bit of coppery skinned flesh as well, wide slits running up both sides of the dress, held together by barely visible straps. The concubine had tried to convince her to get rid of the small braids and sort her hair to create a more attractive appearance, but Jaheira's glare had sent the girl scrambling. Still, the subtle touches of the makeup had achieved a lot, making the druidess very pleasing to look at, yet still completely unapproachable, which was an art that Leah wished she would one day master.

"By Milil, you're almost unrecognizable," Leah chuckled, shaking her head, amused at the way Jaheira winced in distaste.

"Yes, yes... that, I believe, is also the point of a disguise," Jaheira replied with a scowl, giving another dark glare to the concubine that had been helping her, the girl leaving in a hurry. "A most unpleasant experience... hopefully we can be done with this task quickly and move on because this is not something I wish to endure for long."

"One would think you're more afraid of a dress than of a horde of angry orcs, Jaheira," Viconia interjected, stepping out from behind a folding screen and into their view. "Perhaps because you never had to put in any effort into attracting that male of yours. He looked so desperate that he would have accepted just about anyone who agreed to take pity on him."

"Shut up!" Jaheira barked angrily, Viconia's words managing to get under her skin. "Just look at you... like I said, once a harlot, always a harlot. This really does come naturally to you, Drow."

"Your opinion is meaningless, Jaheira, because this is not meant to impress you," Viconia replied, turning towards Leah, finding the young priestess staring at her with a slightly odd look in her eyes. "And what about you, little _jalil_?" the Drow purred, winking at Leah. "You like what you see, don't you?"

"Uh... isn't that... a bit much, Viconia?" Leah asked, quickly recovering from her surprise. She had expected that Viconia would jump on the opportunity to show herself off, but she hadn't been quite prepared for this daring purple dress, leaving the Drow female's dusky skinned shoulders completely exposed, the cleavage so generous that Leah could almost spot a soft dark nipple peeking out from behind the purple cloth.

"I thought that you both would prefer that their attention is upon me instead of you," Viconia replied, parading imperiously in front of Leah and Jaheira. The dress had long slits running up along Viconia's hips and provided a perfect view of her long, divinely sculpted legs. "If someone tried something with her, Jaheira would immediately go for her daggers and then our plan would be in ruin. And if their attentions fell on you, Leah... well, the druid would probably jump to your defense without hesitation. No... you want their eyes to be focused upon me. This dress will make sure of it... and if for some reason that won't work, well, I have other tricks up my sleeve," she added, leaning forward a little, enough to offer Leah an excellent view of her exposed cleavage.

"I... uh, see... yes, umm, excellent thinking, Viconia," Leah managed, unable to stop a light blush from creeping into her cheeks. The Drow had been very open about her sexuality in their travels before and it hadn't bothered Leah at all. In fact, together with Imoen they had been more than a little curious about some of the things that Viconia chose to share with them, so Leah wasn't quite certain why she was feeling slightly embarrassed at seeing Viconia dressed up like this. An errant thought occurred to her that she would prefer not to see any lecherous thieves take that kind of interest in Viconia, forcing the Drow to do whatever was necessary to maintain their disguise, but Leah quickly brushed that feeling aside, instead walking up to the doors and peeking outside to call for their waiting escort. "We are good to go, Yoshimo," she said to the Kara-Turan, the man giving her a strange, slightly glazed stare.

"By all the gods of the ancestors," Yoshimo muttered, his eyes widening as Jaheira and then Viconia emerged from the room, his reaction to the striking Drow beauty particularly telling. "I think I have died and this must be afterlife..."

"That can be arranged, if you do not stop staring and drooling, _wael_ ," Viconia snorted. Still, a part of her seemed to take smug satisfaction from the effect she was having on the man.

"Ah... yes," Yoshimo coughed, quickly refocusing on the task at hand. "Let us be off to Mae'Var's guildhall, then. Though... I suggest that all of you wear cloaks on the way there... right now, I'm not sure I could keep those eager sailors and ruffians away if they manage to get a good look at you..."

* * *

Their arrival at the guildhouse proceeded smoothly and without any unpleasant incidents. Some of the men crowding Gorch, the storekeep, tensed when seeing them entering but then relaxed, having noticed Yoshimo at the head of the group. At the Kozakuran's advice, the women had removed the hoods of their cloaks in order to reduce any suspicion, but they had left their cloaks on for now. Still, their appearance was enough to earn them plenty of hoots and catcalls as Yoshimo hastily led them through the ground floor and then upstairs.

"I will bring you before Anishai. She is the one that I have been assigned to answer to," Yoshimo quickly explained as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. "Senior cutpurse, but now also in charge of all the protection rackets on this side of the Docks District. I guess she has her fingers into some of the prostitution networks as well, because she was very interested when I mentioned that I have some... acquaintances, looking for work."

"A charming person, no doubt," Jaheira muttered, then mustering all her willpower in order to hide her angry scowl and actually assume her role.

"Oh, she's not all bad," Yoshimo shrugged, leading them into a large room that served as a practice hall for aspiring lock-picks, a stern looking Easterner woman overseeing three younger rogues struggling on a particularly challenging lock on one of the many doors that the place was crammed full with. Judging by Anishai's olive skin and shiny black hair, tied in a tight bun at the back of her head, she likely hailed from the lands of Kara-Tur, just like Yoshimo, but this definitely did not suggest that she was going to show Yoshimo any preferential treatment.

"So, you were not lying about those women after all?" Anishai asked, turning around to face them, her eyes widening a little in surprise as the trio removed their cloaks and appeared in all their glory. "A Drow?" her eyes lit up in excitement as she eyed Viconia, no doubt sensing a potential goldmine. "And the others look fetching as well... not at all like the desperate fishwives or sailor's widows that the customers don't even want to look at. Where did you get them, Yoshimo? They don't look like courtesans at all."

"When you have a chicken that lays golden eggs, you take good care of it," Yoshimo replied without hesitation. "So, do you think you can find some use for them? They are quite desperate about getting back to work."

"I'm sure I can think of something... though the final word won't rest with me," Anishai drawled thoughtfully. "I think we'll have the half-elf working the Sea's Bounty. She'll bring in good coin, there. The Drow... we'll save her for special customers, looking for something exotic and willing to pay extra. The girl there... Yoshimo, are you quite sure she's a courtesan? She looks like a naive virgin to me."

Yoshimo managed a genuine sounding laughter. "Oh, don't let her innocent looks deceive you," he said, grinning at Leah. "That one might not have much experience, but she's a real eager vixen between the sheets. I've trained her myself." Leah forced herself to flash a beaming smile, making a silent resolve to slap Yoshimo afterwards.

"She looks too good for the Sea's Bounty, I think... but it will only be my recommendation, not decision," Anishai shrugged. "You'll get the standard deal, Yoshimo, twenty five percent of whatever your girls make. How much you reward them with will be up to you."

"I suppose that is fair," Yoshimo shrugged, acting a little displeased.

"I don't care if things were different in your old guild, that's how we run things here and it's not up for discussion," Anishai snapped. "Now, take them to that bastard upstairs and get his approval," she said, pointing at the stairs behind her.

"Bastard upstairs?" Yoshimo asked, taken a little by surprise.

"Mae'Var's second in command," Anishai explained, scrunching her face to indicate distaste. "Some uppity mage. Likes to sample the merchandize himself now and then, and I wouldn't be too shocked if one of you three stroked his fancy. Now get moving already."

"The boss himself doesn't handle the courtesans?" Yoshimo wondered, nodding to the three women to proceed towards the stairs.

"No... I suspect he gets his satisfaction from... different activities," Anishai muttered, looking a little uncomfortable. "You've been down to the dungeons, so I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about..."

"Yes... yes, I do," Yoshimo nodded quickly, then moving past her and ushering his female companions upstairs, following after them to arrive at garishly decorated personal quarters of Mae'Var's top lieutenant, the supposedly uppity mage, dressed in a bright red robe, sitting at a desk and frantically scribbling something on a parchment, not even noticing their arrival until Viconia stepped upon a creaking floorboard that made sound loud enough to wake the dead.

"Yes, yes, what is it? (Must I be interrupted at every turn?)" the mage ranted, finally looking up from his incredibly important scribbling to face them, Leah recognizing the man immediately, his eyes widening comically from the way he was completely stunned by surprise. "What... is this someone's idea of a joke?" he finally recovered enough to demand. "I recognize you... all of you... and you are most certainly no courtesans! Why are you here? (I will not be distracted by the unlikely possibility that they could be seeking employment... no matter how distracting that damned Drow looks... gah!)"

"Aww, Edwin, you always say the nicest things," Leah teased, stepping forward and approaching his writing desk, perching on the side of it, laughing inwardly at the shock on Yoshimo's face, the Kara-Turan now also taken by complete surprise. "Fancy meeting you here... maybe you'll be able to help us out... in the name of our old friendship..."

"What old friendship? You allowed that Rashemi buffoon to throw me in the Nashkel River! (Before asking whether I could swim or not.)" Edwin huffed.

"Ah, Edwin, but if I had not been there to calm Minsc down, he would have done far worse than throwing you into the river," Leah pointed out with a disarming smile on her lips.

"You were supposed to aid me in disposing of that irritating Wychlaran! (Morally conscious hirelings be damned!)" the Red Wizard retorted accusingly.

"And you will remember that I actually never promised you to help harming Dynaheir, only to bring you to her... I must have been the most idealistic young fool back then, thinking that I could get you, Dynaheir and Minsc to get along." Jaheira gave her a curt, amused chortle at that as if to agree that she had indeed been acting most foolish. "Anyway... Dynaheir might have been a little... overbearing now and then, but she was a good friend, and I will not have you speak ill of the dead, Edwin."

"Ah, so the Rashemi meddler is dead?" Edwin immediately perked up. "Then you do bring good news, after all. And what of that addled berserker of the Wychlaran, is it too much to hope that he is dead as well? (Or perhaps that infernal hamster, at least. It used to leave crumbs all over my impeccably cleaned robes.)"

"Minsc and Boo are both well and remain in my company," Leah replied, the wizard wincing in displeasure. "But I'm afraid that Dynaheir and Khalid are... gone, and Imoen has been imprisoned by the Cowled Wizards."

"Ah yes, the Cowled Ones. (I have a few scores of my own to settle with their ilk.)" Edwin muttered, the mention of the mage organization seemingly making him refocus back to their current predicament. "But enough of that. Let us dispense with these false pretenses. You are obviously not here to work as a courtesan in service of the Shadow Thieves. (While that may be an improvement for some of them.)" he added, giving Jaheira a sneering stare. "So tell me, why are you here?"

"Very well," Leah said, crossing her arms on her chest, forgetting that she was wearing a slightly revealing dress and unaware of what it was doing to her cleavage. When she saw Edwin's eyes bulging a little and focusing somewhere way below her eyes, she blushed and quickly adjusted her position, straightening out her dress. "Mae'Var's actions have attracted the attention of Renal Bloodscalp himself. We are here to gather evidence that Mae'Var plans to betray him."

"I see. (Irritatingly sooner than I anticipated, but I suppose it was inevitable.)" Edwin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, considering something. "I imagine that now that Bloodscalp himself is aware of Mae'Var's activities, he would not stop until such evidence is produced, even if you should fail in this endeavor. Yes... this hastens the inevitable, I'm afraid..."

"What are you talking about, Edwin?" Leah asked, a little impatiently.

"I am talking about the evidence against Mae'Var that you seek. As it happens, I know where it can be found," Edwin replied simply. "Mae'Var has been courting the Night Knives, a guild out of Westgate, in order to bolster his own strategic position and betray Renal. Masterfully planned, but I have seen through it. I have procured a key that opens the strongbox in Mae'Var's quarters."

"You walk a dangerous path, wizard," Yoshimo remarked, having long since recovered from the unexpected surprise of seeing Leah and Edwin conversing like old acquaintances. "After all your talk, you are nothing better than an opportunistic turncoat. Not that I think we should be complaining or anything."

"Edwin possesses his own unique brand of loyalty," Jaheira smirked.

"You have joined Mae'Var's guild with the sole intent to betray him, and yet you seek to reprimand me for wanting to be on the winning side?" Edwin appeared rather amused as he stared down the druidess. "If I cared about your opinion, I would make a scathing remark about your own duplicity. (No, wait, I just did... no matter.)"

"We are not here to argue morals, we are here to obtain damning evidence on Mae'Var," Leah said sharply, raising her hand to stop all the bickering that was threatening to spill over. "And I believe that Edwin is offering to help us with that... are you, Edwin?"

"Now that things have escalated this far, hindering you would serve very little purpose. And I most certainly do not wish to be here when Renal's assassin squad arrives to remove Mae'Var," Edwin said, absentmindedly stroking his thin goatee. "However, I feel that it would only be reasonable if we should exchange one favor for another."

"As predictable as always, Edwin," Jaheira scowled darkly at the wizard.

"You need to train your druid not to constantly interrupt her betters," Edwin pointedly ignored the half-elf, continuing to face Leah... with the occasional appreciative glance directed at Viconia. "I will give you the evidence you seek to prove Mae'Var's guilt in return for your assistance in dealing with a meddlesome Cowled Wizard agent that has become too much of a nuisance as of late to be left ignored."

"I told you that Imoen is held imprisoned by these mages so I would prefer not to get on their bad side," Leah said, looking indecisive.

"I did not say that you have to kill this Rayic Gethras," Edwin shrugged. "Simply help me convince him to abandon his investigation into my activities."

"Hmm... very well... but on one condition," Leah finally spoke, Edwin giving her an inquiring stare. "Once we have dealt with both Mae'Var and this Cowled Wizard, I would like to acquire your services in helping me rescue Imoen."

Edwin considered something for a while, his gaze constantly being drawn from Leah to Viconia and back, apparently convincing him in making his decision. "Very well, I agree. From personal experience, I recall that traveling with you was not always enjoyable, but at least it was entertaining and lucrative. (Except the part when that Rashemi barbarian threw me into a river.)"

"I assume that you have the license to cast spells in Athkatla, yes?" Leah asked.

"I had the license, but it was revoked by that damnable pest Rayic Gethras! (One more reason to... deal with him, really.)" Edwin fumed.

"I suppose that does provide us with an added incentive, yes," Leah agreed. "Very well, Edwin... if our... negotiations are completed, perhaps you could stop devouring Viconia with your eyes and lead us to Mae'Var's strongbox and the evidence..."

* * *

"Night Knives? Hmm... now, that is unexpected," the expression of Renal Bloodscalp's face, however, was one that spoke of satisfaction, even if he probably disliked being taken by surprise. "Yes, this is more than enough to damn Mae'Var completely. I thank you, Leah, for providing this," he smiled, looking back at the young priestess and her companions.

Upon their return to the Shadow Thieves guildhall, the women had quickly slipped into one of the empty rooms to remove their dresses and put their adventuring gear back on, ignoring the feeble protests of Yoshimo and Edwin, unsuccessfully trying to convince them that they should maintain their disguises for as long as possible, even if it made no logical sense at all. The thought of facing Renal while wearing a dress that showed off the tops of her breasts made Leah blush wildly, even as she sneakily folded the dress and slipped it into her backpack for further use. Nobody thought of asking for the clothes to be returned, and Leah actually noticed that Viconia had decided to keep her extremely revealing outfit as well, carefully placing it amongst her belongings. For some reason, Leah felt a brief surge of warmth hitting her cheeks when she thought about seeing Viconia wear that dress again. She was not sure what had brought such thoughts on, but they made her feel a little embarrassed and she quickly dismissed the mental images, resolving not to think about them again.

"Only the last part of our deal remains to be carried out," Renal continued to speak once he was done examining the evidence. "Go and eliminate Mae'Var, with my full authority. Do that, and this business shall finally be concluded."

"What?" Leah blinked, instantly taken aback. "That was never a part of our deal! We were hired only to provide the evidence of Mae'Var's treachery and we have done so. I demand to be compensated with what we were promised!"

"Do you truly wish to leave the task unfinished, even after having seen what kind of man Mae'Var is?" Renal asked, looking mildly displeased with her reluctance. "I had thought you to possess a stronger stomach than this. The tales of your deeds do not speak of a... mere girl that runs at the slightest challenge."

"Such taunts only work on prideful men who cannot tolerate any insults of their honor," Leah smirked, refusing to budge on the issue. "I refuse to lead my friends in a full frontal assault on a guildhouse crawling with assassins. There had to be at least three dozens of them! I'm not going to risk the lives of my friends in this foolish endeavor. Furthermore, an attack such as this would force them all into protecting their guildhouse, and I would have to kill them all. This is wasteful, brutal and thoughtless. Remove Mae'Var and his cronies, and the rest of the guild will loyally follow whoever you appoint as his replacement! With this ongoing guild war, I'm sure you can't afford to-" Leah was forced to suddenly cut her rant short as a throwing dagger flew by her so close that it almost brushed her ear, making her cry out in surprise.

"Enough!" Renal bellowed, looking deeply angered. "You have made your point, but I will not stand for such talk, such disrespect! I should..." the guildmaster looked as if he was about to give his men orders to attack them, but then he seemed to reconsider, forcing a smile back upon his lips. "Hmm... I should, perhaps, consider the wisdom in your words. Indeed, this is an internal matter of the guild. An outsider was convenient for gathering this evidence, but now, cleaning our own backyard would be a necessary show of strength, yes. Thank you once again for making me see this."

"You're more than welcome," Leah shrugged, trying to appear unflustered, even if her heart was still beating frantically from the unexpected attack, knowing that the dagger could have easily struck her fatally had Renal wished to do so. "It will probably be some hours before Mae'Var notices that something is missing from his strongbox. I recommend that you make your move before he does so and readies his forces."

"That is a fine idea, Leah," Renal nodded, more amicably now. "We will put together a squad right away. I will lead the attack myself."

"And what of my reward?" Leah asked, mustering her courage and hoping that her boldness would not provoke another escalation of hostilities.

"Yes, yes, consider three thousand gold knocked off the target that Gaelan set before you," Renal replied distractedly. "Do not test my patience by asking for more. I am still... disappointed by your daring refusal, so I recommend that you get out of my sight now and do not cross my path again, unless you have a very good reason to do so..."

"Very well, Renal," Leah replied with a forced smile. "A pleasure doing business with you..."

* * *

Only the final task of the day remained before them now, a visit to the nearby house of one Rayic Gethras on Edwin's behalf. The moon was high in the sky and the hour was late, well past midnight, but the district had not become any quieter than during the day. The noises were simply different, chanting and drunken singing of sailors, interrupted now and then by screams, mostly by the female courtesans working the docks, finding themselves under constant attention of their nightly patrons.

The house of Rayic Gethras was located next to the gaudy Harper base, a three storied grey nondescript mansion. There was a faint light in the windows of the first two floors, but the uppermost level was sinking in silent darkness, the wizard likely having gone to sleep, a thought which made Leah wonder whether it would not have been more reasonable to visit him in the morning when he would be more agreeable and open to diplomacy, however, Edwin immediately raised a storm as soon as she brought up this idea.

Having easily picked the lock on the front doors, Yoshimo quickly scouted inside before returning to them, wincing a little. "The ground floor is crawling with those nasty little devils we fought in the dungeons of Irenicus," he reported.

"Mephits," Leah sighed, the Kara-Turan nodding sourly. "Hmm... they are not particularly bright. Maybe there's an easy way to get rid of them..." She walked up to the doorstep and picked up an empty, discarded bottle, lying there. "Yes... this just might do..."

"What are you thinking, Leah?" Jaheira asked.

"Everyone except Yoshimo, hide somewhere in the shadows," the girl ordered. "Yoshimo, on my order, push the doors open and I'll toss in the bottle. That should get their attention, I imagine."

"I imagine this will also work as a fine way to get us all killed," Viconia grumbled, but did as Leah had requested, together with Jaheira and Edwin rounding the corner of the house and remaining standing there in the darkness.

Leah spent a few minutes looking for the perfect opportunity, waiting for a particularly large and rowdy group of pirates to walk past the house before giving the signal to Yoshimo. The bounty hunter kicked the door open and Leah threw the bottle right into the house where it slammed against a large mirror, shattering it in a loud crash. Immediately, there was a response of loud hisses, snarls and squeaks as the angered mephits looked for the culprits of this interruption, noticing the group of sailors strolling past and singing rowdy songs about grog and wenches. A stream of roughly dozen mephits poured out of the house and moved to attack the unsuspecting sailors. Moments later, all hell broke loose out on the street, the pirates getting accosted by the tiny flying menaces.

Meanwhile, Leah quickly led her group inside, Yoshimo closing the door behind them to make sure the mephits did not return to sneak up on them. "I have to admit, that actually worked out well," Viconia nodded approvingly, once they had established that there were no mephits left hiding anywhere on the ground floor.

"I am amazed this Rayic Gethras did not wake up from all that ruckus," Jaheira remarked thoughtfully, watching the stairs leading up to the second floor.

"I guess wizards are sound sleepers," Leah chuckled. Her eyebrows rose as she suddenly noticed something that seemed out of place. "Look at that," she said, pointing at the ceiling. "Should it really be sagging like that?"

"Perhaps I should examine whether the upper floor has more guardians," Yoshimo suggested. "I would not be surprised if that wizard had a pet ogre protecting him, or something equally unpleasant," the rogue chuckled, before disappearing from their sight and moving upstairs to scout. He reappeared less than a minute later, looking a little surprised. "Well... I was almost correct. He has a golem standing guard upstairs."

"A golem?" Jaheira blinked. "They weigh over six hundred pounds! The man must be insane!"

"Well, he is a wizard," Leah chuckled, earning herself a dark glare from Edwin. "Still, that golem poses a big problem. As soon as it notices us, it will undoubtedly attack and I do not fancy facing those massive fists. Especially without Minsc or Anomen happily taking the punishment for us all."

"I have an idea on how to get rid of it," Yoshimo said, snapping his fingers, a sudden idea popping into his head. "Does anyone have a coil of rope?" Jaheira quickly nodded, pulling out the requested item from her stuffed backpack. "Give me a minute or two... also, Viconia, I would suggest not to stand there," Yoshimo added with a chuckle. "Come and stand at the bottom of the stairs, it should be safe there."

"Do I even want to know what that foolish _jaluk_ intends?" Viconia asked, looking impatient and slightly irritated, even if she most certainly did not fancy fighting the golem either.

"I think I have a fairly good idea," Leah grinned. "And if my guess is correct, you really don't want to remain standing there, Viconia." The Drow grumbled something incomprehensible, but still came to join the rest of them at the bottom of the stairs.

Meanwhile, Yoshimo was upstairs, busy with his grand plan. He had silently sneaked behind the clay golem's back and was now carefully tying the rope around the construct's powerful legs. Once he was satisfied that the golem would not be able to move, Yoshimo prowled back to the top of the stairs and then drew a throwing dagger from his belt, before sending it flying at the golem, alerting it of intruders. The golem reacted immediately, trying to charge towards Yoshimo, but the safely secured knots on the rope held and the construct failed to move, crashing towards the floor. It's great weight, combined with the force of the impact, was too much for the creaking floorboards and the golem fell through the floor as well as through the boards of the ground floor, exactly where Viconia had been standing, ending up somewhere in the basement, likely having shattered in several pieces.

"Surely he could not have slept through that," Leah wondered as they all gathered on the second floor, briefly stopping to congratulate Yoshimo on his excellent plan of golem disposal.

"I have some effective means with which to wake up that simian, should it be required. (Before putting him to permanent sleep, of course.)" Edwin suggested.

"That won't be necessary, _wael_ , I hear movement upstairs," Viconia warned, her sensitive elven hearing giving her a distinctive advantage over the others.

Indeed, moments later, a rather irate looking man appeared at the top of the stairs, still wearing pink pajamas and a matching nightcap. "Who dares to disturb a Cowled Wizard during his sleep?" he ranted, climbing down the stairs to face them. "Who are you and what have you done to my servants?" Rayic Gethras demanded.

"Your mephits are currently creating complete and utter chaos throughout the Docks," Leah replied, deciding that inquiring to this particular mage about Imoen would be ill-advised. He was unlikely to remain particularly happy with them after this encounter, and Leah realized that if he knew about her connection to Imoen, Rayic could perhaps plot some petty revenge to get back at her by harming her best friend. "But you might need a new golem."

"And a new floor," Viconia added with a gleeful chuckle.

"You are surely suicidal to risk angering someone of my stature!" Rayic shouted before noticing Edwin, standing a little aside of the others. "You! Edwin Odesseiron! This is your doing, is it not? I was right in investigating your activities! You will rot in Spellhold for this!"

_Spellhold, what is this Spellhold? Is that where they have taken Imoen too? I have never heard of it, but at least now I have a name and maybe someone will know!_ Leah thought frantically, hoping that Edwin would not reply with immediate violence, as she knew he was prone to do.

"You will seize all investigations into my activities, you miserable old wretch. My allegiance with the Shadow Thieves has been terminated as of several hours ago," Edwin replied sternly. "You and your equally paranoid colleagues can rest easy from the fears of the Red Wizards allying themselves with the Shadow Thieves."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Rayic snarled. "Should I simply believe it because you say it is true?"

"Yes, you are to believe him, because what he says is true. Instead of serving the Shadow Thieves, Edwin now works for me," Leah said simply. "Also, you should take our words for granted because there are five of us against you, which should sway any argument in our favor... if you still have a shred of sanity remaining, that is."

"Insolent little wench!" the Cowled Wizard once again looked like he was about to blast them with a deadly spell, but eventually Leah's warning seemed to sink in and Rayic became a little deflated. "Couldn't you have found a better way to inform me of this instead of breaking into my house during the middle of the night, scattering my guardians and ruining the floors!"

"We... were in a hurry to leave the city," Leah uttered, doing some quick thinking on her feet. "And Edwin insisted that we had to handle the matter before leaving. It just wouldn't do to remain on bad terms with a powerful organization like the Cowled Wizards, yes? Also... there is the matter of Edwin's revoked magical license."

"Ah, yes... of course," Rayic appeared slightly more agreeable now, walking back upstairs and then returning with a scribbled parchment that Leah immediately recognized as the license to cast magic in Athkatla. "Here you go," the Cowled Wizard spoke, passing the papers to Leah, purposefully ignoring Edwin. "Now kindly get out of my sight. And if I never have to see you again, Thayan, it will still be too soon!"

"That's one order we'll happily obey," Leah grinned, urging everyone to follow her back downstairs and out of Rayic Gethras' abode. "Goodnight, and please accept our apologies for the caused inconveniences!" she added with a laugh as they left, ending back out on the street again, noticing that the sailors and the local ruffians were still busy dealing with the screeching, biting and snarling mephits, swarming the docks.

"Wait, Leah... where is our new mage friend?" Yoshimo suddenly asked, making Leah and the others stop in their tracks.

"I am here," Edwin replied just as suddenly, leaving Rayic's house only now. "I simply lingered behind to thank our host for his understanding and cooperation. (Ha!)"

"Of course..." Leah muttered, leading her friends away from the wizard's house. When they turned around to start climbing back up the large steps leading to the upper level of the Docks, she couldn't help but to notice that Rayic's dwelling was for some reason caught in a rapidly spreading orange glow. "Edwin... why is Rayic's house on fire?" she asked the Red Wizard sternly, Edwin managing his best innocent expression and shrugging his shoulders. "You stayed behind to fireball him to death, didn't you? Argh! You said we weren't going to kill him!"

Edwin shrugged again, not looking particularly apologetic. "We didn't kill him. (The fire did.)"

Leah groaned, about to give Edwin a severe dose of chastising, but at that very moment a lithe half-elven woman, dressed in fine leather armor and carrying a crossbow on her back, bumped into Jaheira, uttering a quick apology and then something else as well, speaking so quietly that Leah could not overhear. She was surprised when Jaheira suddenly turned around to approach her, the young priestess noticing with the corner of her eye that the other half-elf had not left either, lingering around, as if waiting on Jaheira.

"It would appear that circumstances force me to leave your side for the time being," the druidess said quietly, looking a little hesitant.

Leah understood immediately, managing a silent nod, even if deep inside she felt rather conflicted about the whole situation of someone simply walking up to them and ordering her friend away. _Stupid Harper business... shouldn't have brought that Renfeld to them in the first place. Nothing good ever seems to come from drawing their attention._ "When can I expect you back, Jaheira?" she only asked, trying to sound neutral.

"I will return at the earliest opportunity, Leah," the half-elf replied softly, probably sensing Leah's displeasure. "You should know that I do not wish to be apart from you for too long."

"In case we travel, I will leave the directions with that fat barkeep at the Coronet," Leah said curtly, managing a forced smile, even if deep down she still felt a little betrayed. Jaheira simply nodded and walked away, catching up to her fellow half-elf who had been waiting on her impatiently.

"You know what they say, nothing good happens when you try to balance your loyalties between two masters," Viconia said as Leah had seemingly frozen in place, looking after the two retreating women.

"You would know of divided loyalties, would you not... priestess of Shar?" Leah replied quietly, smiling when Viconia looked annoyed and frowned at her in return.

"Should we not continue back to the Copper Coronet, young lovely?" Yoshimo asked after Leah still hadn't moved.

"Of course," she finally snapped out of her reverie, starting to walk again. "Let's go..."


	14. Chapter 14

Leah rested poorly that night, even by the standards of her oft-interrupted Bhaal taint influenced sleep. She had awoken several times during the night, cursing the hard, uncomfortable mattress and lumpy, foul smelling pillow, glaring silently at Viconia, tucked in cozily on the other bed, her breathing slow and even, the Drow continuing to sleep through Leah's restless thrashing. In the end, she had managed to fall asleep again when the morning light already began to pour through the shoddy curtains. After waking up, Leah was not certain that she should have bothered going back to sleep, having been assaulted by one of the most vivid nightmares yet.

As of late, all of her Bhaal dreams followed the same familiar pattern, the dead progenitor assuming the face of her tormentor and trying to convince her to embrace the taint, claiming it to be her true nature. The worst part of it all was that the essence addressed her using the voice of Irenicus, and regardless of the words it spoke, simply hearing it filled Leah with primal dread, the memories of her torture enough to scare the girl out of her wits.

"Why do you stand for this, why do you submit to the flesh, when death is bred in your bones?" Bhaal had challenged her, as if accepting and embracing the taint would somehow elevate her above lesser mortal creatures and make her immune to the fists of a golem, breath of a dragon or bite of a vampire. However, it only took the memory of Sarevok for her to call Bhaal's bluff. He had embraced his birthright and while it had made him powerful, it hadn't made him immortal. Above all, it had corrupted him completely, to the point where any attempt of reasoning with her brother became futile. She was not going to follow in Sarevok's footsteps, not like this, she would not be swayed by these dreams no matter how frightening or convincing the Bhaal essence appeared when hiding behind the visage of Irenicus.

It had also spoken words that made Leah very curious and they remained on her mind as she was still lounging in her bed, any thoughts of sleep long gone, the city outside starting to wake to a brand new day, sounds of a busy morning in the slums drifting through the gaps in the window frame. "Follow, and receive the gift you are owed by the blood in your veins," Bhaal had said. "Follow, if only to protect the weak that fell because of you."

At first, she had not been certain what Bhaal had wanted her to follow, but the second part surely referred to Imoen, her guess confirmed by the dream image of Irenicus using his powerful magic to torment and finally drain all life from Imoen's crumpled, battered frame. _So, the essence wants me to give chase to Irenicus, is that it? I wonder why... perhaps it wants to lead me into a trap? But no... how would it know what Irenicus is planning? Wait, I see... Bhaal must be thinking that Irenicus and his 'gentle' treatment will release the divine essence in me and force me to give in to the taint... and... I guess Bhaal is not wrong in counting on that. Irenicus, he... he came so close to breaking me, didn't he? A few more days in the dungeon, a few more sessions strapped to that table, forced to watch the needles and knives slicing through my flesh... and I would have done everything he asked, demanded of me..._

_But... it's not like I have a choice in avoiding this meeting with him. Not while Imoen is there with him. I don't know what is this Spellhold or where it is, but I can only hope that the Cowled Ones can keep the power of Irenicus contained, at least until I get there..._

Leah pulled herself up in the bed, letting out a slight groan as she began to rub her aching temples, trying to push all Bhaal-related thoughts from her mind, attempting to refocus on the tasks of the day before them. However, her mood did not improve when she suddenly recalled the events of the previous evening, with Jaheira leaving in the company of the other Harper agent. Although Jaheira often reminded Leah of her loyalties to the secretive organization she represented, the Harpers had never come between them, not until the evening before. She could not help but feel a little lost without the druidess, hoping for her swift return, but at the same time she felt annoyed, not so much with Jaheira for abandoning her so quickly, but mostly with the other agent and the Harper organization itself.

A light rustling sound of the bedsheets made Leah aware of Viconia's presence, turning to see that the Drow was awake as well, her head still resting on the pillow as she stared at her human companion. "You must do something to secure better accommodations for us, Leah," Viconia said reproachfully, looking around the room with obvious distaste. "This is simply... unacceptable."

"I'm not exactly thrilled with the conditions myself," Leah shrugged. "But we need some extra coin, badly... and all the tasks that we came across yesterday would lead us away from Athkatla." She looked at Viconia, unable to notice with barely contained jealously that the Drow somehow managed to look perfect even after a night's sleep, her hair smooth and orderly, unlike the disheveled mop on her head. _Then again, Jaheira also manages this annoyingly fresh look when she wakes up at disgustingly early hour... I thought it was a druid thing, but come to think of it... maybe it's an elven thing._

"This is a big city, filled with pathetic _rivvin_ ," Viconia snorted haughtily. "An opportunity is sure to present itself, sooner or later."

"I suppose you are right about that," Leah finally managed a crooked smile as she already contemplated her next move. She knew that she was expected to offer her prayer to Milil with every sunrise, but for some reason, she simply could not find the motivation to do so on this particular morning. She had not wasted a single spell during the day before, having been able to avoid violence entirely, or allow others to handle it for her, just as she preferred it, thus she did not need to renew the blessings of her patron. And Milil was not a harsh taskmaster like most other deities, with a small clergy like his the Lord of Song could not afford to be too strict with his followers. In the past, Leah had been able to skip a day or two without praying, getting away with only a minor sense of gentle divine reprimand during her prayers on the following day.

"You seem faraway in your thoughts, _abbil_ ," Viconia commented thoughtfully, looking on casually as Leah slowly began to dress. "Truth be told... so am I."

"Oh? What's on your mind, Viconia?" Leah asked, glancing up curiously at her Drow friend.

"I was merely trying to understand why I was so... desperate to unburden myself to you last night. About Beregost," Viconia finally admitted. "What happened there was a foolish moment of weakness on my part, and... I should not have revealed it to you."

"I did not see any signs of weakness anywhere in that horrid experience you went through," Leah replied earnestly, finally rising from the bed and smoothening out creases from her light tunic as she stood tall. "In fact, I only saw evidence of your enormous strength of will, managing to take your revenge as you did."

"Hmm... you are foolishly kind to say so, little _jalil_ ," Viconia replied, still looking thoughtful. "Perhaps I was still... overwhelmed by the gratitude of your timely rescue. I had forgotten what it meant to be treated decently by a surfacer... I have had nothing but hostile encounters with your kind ever since fleeing Beregost. Surfacers hate the Drow without relent, and I erred in thinking otherwise even for a moment. Your... act of charity at Peldvale must have clouded my senses... you were never supposed to side with me against that Flaming Fist soldier."

"Yet I did and I'm sure I am not the only human on Faerun who would have done so," Leah shrugged. "To think otherwise would be too depressing."

"Maybe one day you'll still come to regret your actions towards me, _abbil_ ," Viconia smirked, also starting to pick up her clothes, piled up neatly at the side of her bed.

"I don't think so, Viconia," Leah smiled at her friend. "I really don't believe you're as terrible as you want everyone to think."

"And I think you're still very young and naive, Leah," Viconia rolled her eyes in reply. Then her expression softened slightly. "Still... I am... not entirely unappreciative of... what you have done for me."

"Think nothing of it," Leah said, stepping in front of the mirror to briefly adjust her hair, a task easily accomplished now that she had cut it short. She could not help but notice that Viconia's eyes were on her as the Drow continued to dress, Leah feeling an odd pang of disappointment when the glow of Viconia's ebony skin disappeared behind her dark blue tunic.

"So... this Anomen of yours," Viconia said with an amused look in her eyes once she had finished dressing. "That male can't stop salivating while staring at you. You find his crude attentions pleasing, yes?"

"I... Viconia, please!" Leah exclaimed, blushing. "Anomen is... nice."

"Nice? Anomen is... nice?" Viconia laughed, a little mockingly. "I thought you would say that his sculpted physique and rippling muscles make you swoon with desire and dream of spending a night of wild passion with him, but... he is nice? I see that you are still pathetic at simply taking what you want, little _jalil_. Perhaps I should use the absence of your guard dog to offer you some useful advice."

"Uh, how about we just go downstairs for breakfast and not talk about Anomen right now... or ever, really?" Leah countered. "Besides... if you really must know, Viconia... I'm honestly not sure what I want, or whether this is the time to spend time indulging in what I want. And furthermore... it's not a topic that I really want to discuss with you, Viconia. You'll just end up mocking me, anyway."

"Maybe it's not the foolish squire, perhaps it is that slippery rogue you have your eyes on, hmm?" Viconia teased. "Yoshimo, was it? He certainly seems to appreciate you a great deal..."

"Me, and most women he comes across, including you and Jaheira," Leah sighed, then laughing as she shook her head. "Perhaps you should reciprocate his interest and maybe then you would not have the time to bother me about these insignificant things..."

"No... not that one," Viconia shook her head with certainty. "There is something about that male that I find off-putting. Perhaps it is his evasive manner, but I would never consider taking that one to my bed. And I doubt even your half-elf mongrel would be desperate enough to do so."

"Poor Yoshimo, I don't know how he will cope with this disappointment," Leah chuckled, putting her hand on the door handle and giving Viconia an impatient stare. "Now, about that breakfast..."

* * *

Leah and Viconia arrived downstairs to find the rest of their group embroiled in a heated argument that was threatening to escalate to deadly violence any moment now. The young priestess cursed inwardly for having forgotten that the presence of both Edwin and Minsc created a potentially volatile situation. Certainly, she had already warned the Thayan against baiting Minsc, and Edwin had muttered an unconvincing agreement which clearly had not survived even the morning light, if Minsc's way of threateningly waving the old sword of her half-brother was anything to go by.

"Leah, a little help here, please!" Yoshimo called out to her, standing helplessly at the side of the table and appearing unwilling to get in between Edwin and Minsc, obviously valuing his life too much.

"Boo is not a seafaring wharf rat, Red Wizard!" Minsc exclaimed, understandably looking rather enraged, as was usually the case when Boo's honor was at stake. "You risk great harm, Edwin. Boo's patience is nearly at an end and he is about to go for the eyes!"

"Hmm, not a wharf rat, you say," Edwin replied idly, not looking even remotely threatened by the tip of the Sword of Chaos hovering a few inches from his nose. Leah was not sure whether the wizard truly was this daring or confident, or perhaps he was simply suicidal and failing another diplomacy check... certainly, remembering his actions in Nashkel, she strongly suspected it was the latter. "Well, then perhaps Boo is a sewer-dwelling city weasel? Or a fruit-eating country vole?"

"This will be your final warning, mage, before I introduce my boot to your scrawny backside!" Minsc retorted angrily. "You will never speak ill of Boo again!"

"That's about enough," Leah said firmly, arriving at the table and gesturing sharply, making Edwin swallow the next string of insults ready on his tongue, further questioning Boo's noble parentage. _Well, at least he didn't stoop to mentioning Dynaheir... not yet, anyway. Blood will flow if he does that, I think we can bet safely on that._ "Edwin, I'm sure you have better things to do than trying to get yourself eviscerated with a sharp sword. Which is what I suspect would happen if you continued to ignore the fair warning that Minsc just gave you, especially since there are no nearby rivers to throw you in."

"I'd like to see him try! (Bah, the insolence of the girl, siding with the moronic oaf.)" Edwin muttered sourly. "But you are correct. There are certain issues I must take care of, following my departure from Mae'Var's... distasteful employ. (Such as sensitive correspondence she does not need to know about, I'm sure.) You can find me in my room later, should my peerless expertise were required." And with that, Edwin proudly walked away, climbing the stairs to the upper floor of the Copper Coronet. He had rented his own room the previous evening, the most expensive quarters that the establishment provided, unwilling to share with the other men of the group. Leah wondered just how much gold Edwin was carrying around with him, suspecting that he probably possessed a reasonable amount of wealth, but expecting him to donate to the Imoen rescue fund was obviously pointless, so she did not bother asking.

"Boo wonders why Leah wants to bring the evil wizard with us," Minsc asked, once they had all taken their seats at the table, Yoshimo gallantly gesturing to the portly barkeep to procure some breakfast for the two ladies. "His words are poisonous, they seek to confuse and insult Boo. The Red Wizard is not fit to administer swift justice to the evildoers side by side with Minsc and Boo."

Leah chuckled a little at Minsc's patented colorful and honest assessment of the situation. "I haven't really decided what to do with Edwin, truth be told," she said earnestly. "He's not someone I feel that we can rely on, as a Red Wizard he is too self-serving for me to place enough trust in him. But... I don't want to easily discard a potential ally. Perhaps he can still be of use to us now and then."

"Minsc and Boo will kick the backside of Evil twice as hard to prove that the Red Wizard is not needed," Minsc stated with determination.

"For all his pompousness and bluster, he is still a competent wizard, Leah," Viconia advised quietly. "And have you seen the way his eyes seem to follow me around? Trust me, that male will be easy to manipulate into doing what I... what we want."

"Hmm," Leah eyed Viconia with a guarded expression. For some reason the idea of Edwin leering at Viconia's enchanting curves seemed oddly annoying. "Perhaps. It is something to consider."

"You have a good reason to be confident in your skills of seduction, my dusky skinned beauty, but remember that there will always be men immune to your charms," Yoshimo warned, smirking when Viconia faced him with a haughty expression.

"Should I fetch the dress I was wearing last night to disprove your assertion, male?" she laughed. "You were following me around like a slobbering dog. All males are alike, weak-minded fools." Yoshimo remained silent at that, swallowing his reply.

"All that aside... Minsc," Leah cut in to silence the banter between the others, turning towards the bald Rashemi ranger. "I need you to promise me that if Edwin joins our group, you will not kick his backside, skewer him with your sword, hang him from the tallest oak tree, or inflict any other physical harm to him. On my part, I promise that if he crosses the line in taunting you and Boo, or if he dares to besmirch the memory of Dynaheir, I will personally come to your aid in teaching him a lesson. Can we agree on that, Minsc?"

"Minsc and Boo reluctantly accept your terms!" the large ranger bowed his head. "We are not very happy about it, but we will do as you say, little Leah."

"Very good... thank you Minsc," Leah smiled at her old friend. "Hopefully a miracle will occur and Edwin will actually behave... but now, I think there comes our breakfast," she remarked, noticing one of the maids approaching with two plates for her and Viconia. "And just in time... I'm famished, and even the pathetic meals they serve here will do!"

* * *

Following the breakfast Leah returned to her room at the Copper Coronet, feeling restless and not quite sure on how to proceed. Without Jaheira's presence the directionless feeling persisted and the fact that she did not know when to expect the druidess back did not help when making decisions on what to do next. While she did not want to feel angry at Jaheira, the circumstances inexplicably began to make Leah increasingly annoyed and frustrated, forcing her to even consider something as ill-advised as heading all the way to the not so secret Harper base and demanding answers from them.

For a while she continued to toss around restlessly in her bed, feeling the urge to catch up on the lost sleep of the night, but the uncertainty surrounding Jaheira's possible return did not allow Leah to get any rest, and finally her attempts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Her first reaction was to joyfully assume that her old friend had finally returned, but then she quickly realized that neither Jaheira nor Viconia would knock before entering the room that all the women of the group shared amongst themselves.

Leah quickly pulled herself upright in the bed and smoothed out her clothes as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Yes? Come in!" she called out, then smiling as she watched Anomen tentatively opening the doors and peering inside, blushing and smiling as he met her eyes.

"Good morning, my lady," he greeted, looking to be in very good spirits. "I have returned from the Order with some of the answers that you requested. If you would join me downstairs, I would happily share with you all that I have learned."

"No need to go downstairs and face that loud and boisterous crowd," Leah shrugged. "Just come on inside, we can speak here." The look on Anomen's face was precious, Leah almost starting to laugh at how the young squire seemed to feel that entering a young ladies' room would be tantamount to scandalous behavior. "You did say that the Order was not spying on you, yes?" she added teasingly, Anomen's blush suggesting that she had been correct in her guess.

"I... can assure you that they are not quite as zealous, my lady," he muttered, carefully stepping inside but refusing to sit on the bed that Viconia had slept in, instead pulling up a chair and taking a seat almost at the other side of the room.

"You look like you have truly enjoyed your brief reunion with your fellow squires and knights," Leah remarked with a smile, noticing that Anomen still had the beaming aura of happiness about him. However, it disappeared immediately at her words.

"Verily, my lady, it is my return to your company that warms my heart, not the visit to the Order," he admitted, wincing a little. "The knights at the Order were..." Anomen looked like he was about to say something not exactly flattering, but then he hesitated and swallowed his words. "Perhaps it would be for the best if I simply told you what I have learned."

"Certainly, Anomen, I can't wait to hear what you have discovered," Leah said encouragingly.

"First of all, the libraries of the Order hold copies of the most recent census, and I managed to learn more about this man that the Cowled Wizards want us to hunt down on their behalf, Lord Valygar Corthala," Anomen began to explain.

"Lord Corthala?" Leah's eyebrows rose in surprise. "He's a nobleman?"

"That is correct, my lady," Anomen nodded. "The Order has a great deal of interesting information regarding his family. Their bloodline is rumored to be cursed with destructive magical ability that over the years has thinned out their line. Lord Valygar appears to be the last of this ancient noble family."

"Interesting..." Leah mused. "Do you know if everyone amongst the Corthala's has this magic ability? In short, is Lord Valygar a mage himself?"

"I cannot say, my lady," Anomen shrugged. "But I do know the location of his estate in Athkatla. It is in the Docks District. He also has a land property in the Umar Hills."

"Hmm, since this is public knowledge, I assume that the Cowled Wizards would have already examined these leads," Leah thought aloud. "But perhaps his servants would tell us something that they would not share with the Cowled Ones? I am suddenly very intrigued just why these wizards are so desperate to find this Valygar. I suggest that we try to discover his side of the story before following through with our promise to Tolgerias..."

"I could not agree more, my lady," Anomen nodded, looking at her approvingly. "But that is not all that I have learned. You will be most interested by what I have discovered about our prospective employer, Lord Firkraag." Leah did not say anything, merely facing Anomen with a most intrigued glance. "You will not believe this, but Lord Firkraag actually went to request aid with his ogre problems from the Order... aid which was granted."

"I suppose he did not feel confident in our ability after all?" Leah shrugged, mentally picturing the reward of ten thousand gold slipping from her grasp.

"You misunderstand, my lady," Anomen smiled. "Lord Firkraag went to the Order two days before attempting to recruit your group."

"What? Are you sure?" Leah blinked. "Why would he want our aid if he already had the help from the Order?"

"There is no mistake, my lady," Anomen replied confidently. "A group of twelve knights and squires departed on the very same day that Lord Firkraag's visited the Order, the party of knights led by Sir Ajantis."

"Ajantis Ilvastarr?" Leah's eyes widened a little from hearing the familiar name.

"Yes, that is correct," Anomen nodded. "How did you come to meet him?"

"He once accompanied my group from the Friendly Arm Inn to Baldur's Gate... and he expressed interest to join us permanently, but... let's just say that he and Viconia clearly did not get along, so I was forced to deny his request," Leah explained. "But he did seem like a good man. And I am deeply concerned by this... strange behavior of Lord Firkraag. Why would he want us if he already had Sir Ajantis and his group of knights? I suspect foul play, Anomen."

"Do you think Sir Ajantis could be in danger?" Anomen asked worriedly.

"I don't know... I hope not," Leah shrugged. "But when we are finally ready to move to the Windspear Hills we should be prepared for anything."

"I hope that we can depart soon," Anomen stated. "If my fellow knights are in danger then I must do everything I can to help them. Even if... well... I should not speak of this... but the knights of the Order do not always... show fairness in the way they treat me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Anomen," Leah offered sympathetically. For a while they sat in silence, even if Leah felt that something else was weighing down on Anomen... and she had a fairly good idea of what it could be. "They asked you about your traveling companions, didn't they?" she said suddenly, startling the squire a little. "About me, yes?"

"I... yes, they did interrogate me about that, my lady," Anomen quietly admitted.

"What did you tell them?" Leah asked in a schooled, neutral voice.

"Naught but your name, my lady," Anomen said, looking ashamed. "But Prelate Wessalen is... much better informed than I gave him credit for. When I mentioned the name of Leah from Candlekeep, he seemed to know that you were a child of Bhaal..."

"I see," Leah muttered, crossing her arms on her chest as she stared at Anomen. "What happens next?"

"They merely warned me to be cautious," Anomen shrugged, appearing a little uncomfortable. "But when I asked whether I was permitted to rejoin you, the Prelate actually insisted that I would do so, at least while you continue to walk the path of righteousness."

"How very nice of them," Leah smirked, feeling a little amused. _So, the poor concerned paladins seek to keep an eye on me through Anomen, do they? Make sure that I don't embrace my evil heritage? And Anomen is the one who's supposed to keep me firmly on the path of good? He is a sweet, young man, but he struggles with his path as much as I do..._

"I apologize for having disappointed you, my lady," Anomen said, lowering his eyes.

"Nonsense, you haven't disappointed me, Anomen," Leah smiled at him supportively. "Everything worked out pretty much as I expected it would, and it was good that you told me the truth. Of course the Order would like to keep track of someone like me, and I am glad that they are content with as little as having you traveling with the group. Perhaps it is also my reputation of a peacemaker between Baldur's Gate and Amn that has stayed the hand of your fellow knights."

"The Prelate rarely elaborates on these things, but I tried my best to convince him that you were good and honorable, my lady."

"Thank you, Anomen," her smile grew warmer as she faced him. "I promise to do my best not to make your Prelate reconsider his decision to allow you travel with our group."

"I know you will, Leah," Anomen smiled back at her. They fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence with Leah once again sensing that something was still bothering Anomen, but for a while he did not seem able to find the words to express what was eating away at him.

"Were there some other complications with the Order, Anomen?" Leah finally grew impatient and decided to ask. "There is something else clearly bothering you."

"I... you are most perceptive, my lady," Anomen admitted after a brief pause. "But 'tis nothing to do with the Order." Leah remained silent, waiting for him to recompose himself before he proceeded to explain. "On my way here from the Order guildhouse I happened to pass by my family estate. I did not stop to enter, but... still, one brief look at it... and I felt as if an ill wind had blown across my soul."

"Because of your father, of course," Leah said, feeling a light surge of anger pulsing through her. She did not even know Lord Cor personally, but she had already developed a deep dislike for the man merely from seeing how deeply he had scarred Anomen.

"Reminder of him evokes memories that would be best cast aside, Leah," Anomen explained quietly. "But too often I fail at doing so. Earlier, I was reminded of how I first achieved the rank of squire. It had been a difficult task... my father had refused to be my patron and most knights would not take me in, since I had no coin to pay for my equipment. Eventually, a knight by the name of Sir Blethyn took pity on me and had me squired. I was proud during the ceremony, and happy... but it was not to last. Lord Cor stumbled into the Order's headquarters, filthy drunk and full of rage. He began shouting at the knights, at Sir Ryan Trawl, no less... that I had been stolen from him. That I was a worthless and weak son who should not be in the Order. Sir Ryan Trawl told him that I had proven myself, but the old bastard would hear none of it. They were finally forced to drag him out of the headquarters, kicking and screaming. Leave it to Lord Cor to stain the one moment of pure pleasure I was able to steal during my time at the Order, the one thing I had achieved despite all of his opposition!"

"That's... horrible!" Leah gasped. "I cannot believe a parent would do something like that to their children... it's monstrous..."

"Yes, Lord Cor... is more the monster than some of the vile foes I have slain," Anomen said, rising from his seat, involuntarily clenching his fists and looking overcome with emotion. "Ever since my mother's death, my father has been the force against which I have always struggled to prove myself... an invisible cancer which I cannot vanquish." Suddenly, Anomen seemed to deflate, his shoulders slumping as he faced her with an apologetic stare. "Ah, but listen to me... what a pathetic knight I must seem, blubbering like a boy to you over such a thing as my father's disapproval. You must think me a fool, my lady."

"Not at all, Anomen. You have been hurt by someone who should have always been the first to support you in any way they can," Leah said softly. "It is an unforgivable crime, and that you have achieved so much in spite of Lord Cor and his disapproval is a compliment to the strength of your character."

"You are... very kind to say so, my lady," Anomen whispered, looking overwhelmed. For a moment, Leah thought that she saw him begin moving towards her, part of her feeling thrilled about the idea of having Anomen sitting next to her, perhaps holding her hand or going as far as exchanging a few chaste kisses... but at the same time, she also felt cold shivers of fear coursing through her, the reason for which she did not understand at all. Still, she felt surprisingly relieved when in the end Anomen did not move from his spot, merely offering her a grateful look. "Thank you, Leah. Talking with you always fills me with strength to go on," he said instead.

Leah was about to reply, but then the doors to her room suddenly opened and Viconia strode in, Yoshimo behind her, inconspicuously peeking over Viconia's shoulder. "Ah, I thought we would find you here," the Drow grinned, taking delight in Anomen's startled expression. "I trust we are not interrupting anything important."

"Not at all," Leah shrugged, appearing completely unaffected, unlike Anomen who seemed to have swallowed his tongue. "Anomen was telling me about some very interesting things that he has discovered back at the Order, but we were done talking just as you stormed in, Viconia." The Drow looked a little disappointed that she hadn't managed to ruffle Leah's feathers one bit, but she then quickly hid her disappointment.

"So I see," Viconia smirked, even though from the way that Leah and Anomen had been in close to opposite corners of the room, it was clear to her that she had not interrupted anything intimate. "If you still continue to insist on refusing to travel until the mongrel has returned from her secret coven then I believe that this shifty male," she pointed at the grinning Yoshimo behind her, "has found something worthwhile to occupy our time."

"What is it, Yoshimo?" Leah called out, motioning for the rogue to stop skulking behind Viconia's back and step into the room.

"Our druid friend was right, there is more to the Copper Coronet than meets the eye, Leah," Yoshimo said, entering the room and closing the doors behind him. "I spoke with the proprietor of the place... charming man, that Lehtinan... but once I mentioned that I had some excess coin to spend he let a few things slip."

"Err, we don't actually have any gold to spend," Leah sighed. "In fact, there's a complete and utter draft in my money pouch. I still don't know how Jaheira managed to set up a tab with that bartender, but if not for that we would be sleeping outside, on the Coronet's roof."

"I did not intend to spend any coin, young lovely, I merely expressed my interest to gain Lehtinan's trust," Yoshimo explained patiently. "He mentioned several illegal activities taking place in the back rooms... it seems that everything is accessible for those with a little bit of coin... Black Lotus, gambling, companionship, betting on pit fights... you name it."

"Despicable," Anomen snarled. "We should uproot this lair of wickedness post-haste!"

Viconia rolled her eyes. "So predictable," the Drow laughed, earning herself a glare from the young Helmite. "Still, Leah, as you mentioned, we are currently penniless. This Lehtinan must be running a profitable operation outside the law. There is nothing that should conflict with your sense of morality by taking down these fools and appropriating their savings."

"Hmm, isn't it nice when we can agree on something, even if our motivations are wildly differing?" Leah grinned, looking from Anomen to Viconia and back at the Helmite. "Very well... let's fetch Edwin and Minsc before paying a visit to the back rooms of the Coronet. As Anomen put it so eloquently... we have ourselves a Lair of Wickedness to uproot!"


	15. Chapter 15

Anomen's colorful description of the Copper Coronet's backrooms as a Lair of Wickedness actually proved to be rather accurate after they had seen with their own eyes the horrific entertainment that Lehtinan had established there. It quickly became apparent that the horrible practice of slavery was exploited here, both in the gladiatorial battles in which unwilling, malnourished slaves fought various different beasts in clearly one-sided encounters, as well as in the upstairs brothel, where mostly female entertainers catered to the needs of their customers, their eyes lifeless and holding no hope of ever escaping this dreadful kind of existence.

As Viconia had led the others to explore the gladiator pits, Leah and Anomen headed towards the upstairs rooms, discovering the brothel, a smaller scale version of the equally depressing Undercellars in Baldur's Gate. The grizzled proprietor of the brothel, a parched old witch introducing herself as Madame Nin, had at first assumed that she and Anomen were a couple with eccentric leanings, deciding that they wanted to hire someone to join in for some kind of a perverted sexual encounter. This Madame Nin had offered a choice between various female and male entertainers, as well as a trained donkey and a pair of sheep. Anomen looked as if he was torn between fainting from the implication that he and Leah were a couple, and smashing Madame Nin's head in for the wicked debauchery that her words described.

In the end, Leah had salvaged the situation by hastily explaining that they had simply gotten lost in their search for the Black Lotus den. As she dragged a slightly shocked looking Anomen away from the brothel, Madame Nin's sarcastic laugh implied that she had not quite believed Leah's explanation, but the young Sorlyn did not care. She would have the last laugh not long afterwards. Once the slaves had been freed and the chaos of the battle had spread throughout the Copper Coronet, Madame Nin had tried to escape, hiding in the crowd of the startled nobles, spectators of the gladiatorial battles, fleeing from the premises. Leah had spotted her, however, and a quickly uttered command word had knocked the woman down on the ground where she was mercilessly trampled to death by the escaping crowd.

In the meantime, Viconia and Yoshimo had their own share of troubles trying to prevent Minsc from brutally slaughtering Frankie, the announcer of the gladiatorial pits. The Rashemi ranger would only calm down after Viconia had invoked Leah's name, reminding Minsc that he had promised to keep quiet no matter what. Having watched a mountain troll rip out the arms of a helpless dwarven slave, the group of four had rejoined with Leah and Anomen, Minsc barely able to contain his outrage at what they had witnessed.

After exploring the horrors of the Black Lotus den, Leah decided that they had enough of a justification to wipe out Lehtinan and those aiding in running his operation. Still, considering the amount of the guards that Lehtinan had in place, Leah was trying to think of a way to somehow even the odds. That was when Viconia had come up with the idea to try and find where the slaves were being kept and to release them, counting on their hatred towards their tormentors motivating them to join their rebellion to overthrow Lehtinan's sick regime.

Unfortunately, the backroom access did not give Leah and her friends the rights to enter the area where the slaves were being held, and the guards confronted them moments after Yoshimo had picked the lock on the doors. It was simply not possible for Leah to talk their way out of this pickle, especially since they had actually been caught while picking the lock, making her excuses rather weak. Still, the intention had always been to slay all Lehtinan's lackeys anyway, getting discovered simply meant that they got to the killing part early. The five guards in charge of the slave pens were dispatched quickly, before they had managed to alert the rest of the establishment about being under attack. Leah was rather impressed at how efficiently they worked as a group, especially considering that they had not undertaken a single task in this particular lineup. She was particularly surprised when Edwin showed the good sense in not letting loose with the heavy artillery, meaning that things were kept relatively quiet around the slave cells, remote from the rest of the establishment.

The slave pens held around twenty prisoners of various ages, most of them looking weak and starved, but some, probably those brought in recently, seemed in a better physical shape and ready, even eager to take fight to their tormentors. A large and burly barbarian by the name of Hendak, likely from lands even further north than Neverwinter, appeared to have appointed himself as the official spokesperson for the slaves, explaining to Leah that the lock on their doors was too complicated to pick and that they would have to get the key from Lehtinan's top lieutenant, in charge of the pens of beasts and monsters. As Yoshimo tested Hendak's theory by trying to pick the lock, Leah quickly glanced over the rest of the prisoners in their cells. Almost all were male, females probably having been sent upstairs to the brothel, but she was surprised to see several young children amongst the men as well, failing to understand for what purpose the children had been subjected to this cruel treatment.

In the end, Yoshimo had to defer to Hendak's judgment, even as he claimed that given more time, he would have surely succeed at opening the stubborn lock. They managed to traverse the gladiatorial pits so that they were not spotted by Frankie or any of the spectators, arriving at the cells where the wild animals and captured monsters were held. Battle had been unavoidable here as well, but the decision of Lehtinan's second-in-command to release all the cages and sic their inhabitants upon them worked in the favor of Leah's group. With the rest of the group concentrating on their troll, minotaur and human opponents, Minsc quickly used the gifts of Mielikki to pacify the animals and also turn some of them on their captors. In the end, the lieutenant was torn to pieces by two of the brown bears, the charmed mountain lion shredding the minotaur's legs and helping the others to bring the monster down quickly. After the battle, Minsc had guided the animals back to their pens and then demanded permission from Leah to return the creatures back into the wilds. Leah had not been certain whether such mistreated animals should be released back in their natural habitat, in the end striking a compromise with Minsc. The circus at the Promenade had lost some of their animals during Kalah's mad crusade, and in the end, Minsc agreed to try and arrange something with Quayle, Aerie's uncle and the owner of the circus.

From there on, the events had proceeded in a rather straightforward albeit chaotic manner. The slaves were freed, Hendak together with his more able-bodied friends picking up the armor and weapons of the slain guards and then charging to take their revenge on the unsuspecting opposition. As Leah and her friends rushed after the enraged Northerners, there was not much left in their wake to mop up, bodies of slain guards sprawled across the hallways. While Hendak led his brethren to where Lehtinan and his bodyguards prepared to make their last stand, Leah directed her group to cut off the exit from the Coronet, trying to prevent some of the evildoers from escaping. Madame Nin had met her grisly end there, and Yoshimo had planted three arrows in Frankie's chest, Anomen preventing some of the guards from making their escape as well, receiving surprise aid from a dwarven patron, happily kneecapping every Lehtinan's lackey that he could reach with his axe. Sometime during the brawl at the entrance, Lehtinan had met his end as well, and shortly afterwards the place erupted in wild cheers as Hendak crudely severed Lehtinan's head from the man's shoulders, stuck it on a spit and paraded it around the Coronet before finally throwing it to roast over a fire pit.

Now, things were finally starting to die down inside the establishment, Hendak and the slaves taking over as the new owners of the place, having appropriated the papers that gave them ownership of the Coronet amongst Lehtinan's sizeable possessions. Leah had received a generous reward of three thousand gold coins, as well as the promise of free lodgings for as long as Hendak remained in charge of the tavern. The fat barkeep, Bernard, had managed to convince the Northerners that he had nothing to do with Lehtinan's dirty dealings, and Hendak had wisely accepted the man's offer to stay on and help, realizing that they would need the support of someone amongst the locals who actually had a clue in how to run an establishment such as this. Hendak's considerably sized new staff were now in the process of overturning the place completely, cleaning out the brothel, the gladiatorial pits and the Black Lotus den. And as for Leah, it turned out that Hendak had a job for her as well, a mission to find the slaver den from which Lehtinan was receiving his supply. Given the riches that these slavers possessed, they made a very interesting target for someone in dire need of coin, so Leah accepted the task without much thinking.

However, nobody amongst the slaves seemed to know just how and from where they had been brought to the Copper Coronet. They were always transported while wearing a blindfold, placed on in one cell and removed only when they found themselves in the Coronet's dungeon. Some were speculating of having been led through some kind of an underground passage. Others were certain that the path had been a relatively short one, counting less than five hundred steps. Still, none of that helped hugely, so Leah and Viconia went through Lehtinan's belongings one more time to see whether they had missed some details. Yoshimo's cracking of the strong box on the wall in Lehtinan's room yielded some correspondence, hinting at his involvement with the slave trade and suggesting a contact by the name of Captain Haegan, but it did not seem to provide any clues as to how to contact this Haegan.

In the end, Bernard came up with the biggest clue of them all. When Leah prodded him about Lehtinan's slave business, he hadn't been able to say much. Then Leah had asked about Lehtinan's habits, whether Bernard had noticed something strange, or simply knew of some places that Lehtinan liked to frequent. She was surprised to hear that Lehtinan never left the Copper Coronet, except on a few occasions when he stepped outside late in the night, carrying naught but a large oil lamp in his hand, without even a single guard accompanying him. That was the clue that Leah had been waiting for, immediately realizing that Lehtinan had been going out to send a signal to his accomplices, probably to let them know that it was safe to bring the slaves over.

It took a few hours of questioning the locals to discover what they were after, people in the slums often reluctant to talk, their tongues loosening with the help of a few copper coins. Yoshimo had suggested speaking with the people who lived in the dilapidated huts and houses on the roof of the sprawling expanse that was the Copper Coronet, and they had struck gold at the temple of Ilmater, the tallest of the buildings there. The elderly priest did not want to speak at first, but when he learned that Lehtinan was dead and would no longer be offering petty tithes to ensure silence, the priest revealed what he knew, Lehtinan coming up all this way, lighting the oil lamp and then standing around for a while before extinguishing the lamp and heading back to the Coronet.

With this knowledge in mind, the next step of their plan was obvious. Come the nightfall, Leah took the oil lamp and accompanied by the ever gallant Anomen, climbed the steps of the stairway up to the old rundown temple and then lit the lamp. Meanwhile, Viconia, Edwin and Yoshimo remained back at the tavern, watching for any signs of approaching slavers, not knowing how and from where they would appear, for it was likely that the main entrance was not used to deliver slaves, too risky even here in the slums. Minsc was still absent, helping the circus workers bring the mistreated animals to the Promenade and making sure that the wild creatures were handled gently and with care that they deserved.

"How long do you think we should remain here, my lady?" Anomen asked, after they had been standing for a while in the precise spot that the Ilmaterite priest had pointed them towards.

"Not sure, Anomen, but the priest said that Lehtinan usually lit his pipe as he was standing around," Leah shrugged, her brow wrinkled thoughtfully. In the dark of the night, her face illuminated by the lamp, Anomen found her beauty to be almost otherworldly. "I'm not sure how much time does it take to finish smoking one's pipe. Half an hour?"

"I think that is a reasonable guess, Leah," Anomen smiled at her. Slightly uncomfortable silence settled in, neither of them quite sure what to say. "Odd folk, these Ilmaterites," Anomen finally spoke up, lightly tapping on the rotting planks that made up the wall of the collapsing temple.

"You don't approve of Ilmater's work?" Leah asked, a little surprised to hear Anomen sounding slightly scornful. "Surely his knights bring much good to the realms as a part of the Triad?"

"I'm sure that they do, my lady..." Anomen shrugged. "But... I have always been concerned at the ease with which they dispense mercy to those wicked and foul, blindly hoping that it would be enough to make them change their evil ways. Often, their misguided mercy leads to more suffering in the end."

"There is truth to your words, I'm sure, but... I suppose I could ask, who are we to decide who deserves mercy and who doesn't?" Leah said thoughtfully. "I do not always trust myself to make a fair decision... do you trust yourself?"

"Of course," Anomen replied with exaggerated air of confidence. "I must. It is my duty as a knight in service of Helm to make these judgments, to decide whether to administer swift retribution or stay my hand with mercy. But... I did not want to talk about that. Thinking about these priests of Ilmater reminded me of the story about how I became a priest. Would you wish to hear it, my lady?"

"Certainly," Leah smiled. "It will be a fine way to pass the remaining time up here, I'm sure."

"As I told you before, I approached the Order without the benefit of my father's sponsorship," Anomen began. "Most young lords come to the Order with patrons paying for their armor and such. I had possession of not even a sword, and the knight-trainers would not accept me without my father's permission. My mother, however, was a follower of Helm and known to Sir Ryan Trawl. She petitioned the Knight-Commander on my behalf, begging him not to turn me away."

"Your mother sounds like a caring and loving woman," Leah remarked softly.

"Yes... that she was," Anomen nodded somberly. "Much too good for an old bastard like Lord Cor... but I digress. In the end, Sir Ryan Trawl allowed me to enter as a novitiate to Helm. I trained as a cleric and learned my sword arts from the guardians of the temple, and was able to eventually squire. A long road it has been for me, Leah... but I am pleased to serve in the Order under Helm's name. And I trust that Helm is pleased with me, as well."

"I can't imagine why not," Leah replied supportively. "I'm glad you were able to find a way to get accepted by the Order... and I'm sure that those who helped you will be made proud when you eventually become a full time knight of the Order."

"That... is very kind of you to say, my lady..." Anomen looked very moved as he reached out to take Leah's hand in his, about to say more, but a shout coming from down below interrupted him.

"Young lovely, are you up there?" Yoshimo called out, Leah grinning as she heard Anomen muttering something un-knightly under his breath. "Come back to the Coronet quickly... something very interesting just happened!"

"What is it, Yoshimo, what happened?" Leah shouted, quickly following after the Easterner rogue, finally catching up with him by the Coronet's entrance, breathless.

"Well, a little while ago, a large group of men suddenly appeared in the backrooms, bringing almost dozen slaves with them and looking very unpleasantly surprised about the change in Coronet's management," Yoshimo quickly explained. "We attacked them together with Hendak's men, but despite our best efforts, two of them managed to get away the same way in which they arrived. There is a secret entrance to this place which seems to run through an abandoned sewer system."

"Sewers, but of course," Leah nodded knowingly. "It was only a matter of time. How very unfortunate that they got away, though. They will alert this Captain Haegan and his men back at their lair. There's no telling how many slavers will be waiting for us in an ambush."

"This is a task for the Order of the Radiant Heart," Anomen spoke up quickly. "My fellow knights and paladins will gladly join us for a strike against slavery in this very city."

"Umm... actually, I think that it might take too much time to organize, Anomen," Leah quickly objected. She did not want to mention that one of her reasons was that she hoped to help herself to the accumulated riches of the slavers, something that Anomen's fellow knights would probably look upon disapprovingly. "But I'm sure that Hendak and his men will want to take part in the attack," she added, knowing that they would badly need the numbers of the former slaves to improve their odds.

Thankfully, Hendak and his fellow Northerners were very open to the idea of killing some more slavers. Six former slaves joined them on the short trek through the sewers, leading to the entrance into the slaver base. The shored up and barricaded entrance to the compound had failed to withstand the explosion of Edwin's fireball, setting the slavers holding fort behind the doors on fire as well, the Red Wizard then putting out the raging flames and finishing off the burning slavers with a powerful cone of cold jumping forth from his outstretched palms. The battle inside the base turned out to be very fierce, the slavers putting up considerable resistance, but their mercenary spirit could never stand up against the rage of their former slaves from the North, Hendak and his men tearing into Captain Haegan and his crew.

The outcome was a smashing victory for Leah's and Hendak's united group. Within half an hour, the entire base was cleared from all the slaves, not only human scum but also including several of the yuan-ti creatures involved in the operation. Hendak had lost two of his comrades during the assault, both killed on the spot, not giving Leah, Viconia or Anomen a chance to do something about their injuries. Hendak himself had earned a few new scars, but he was obviously going to wear them with pride, relishing their shared victory, made all the sweeter by the rescue of almost two dozens of young children, having been shipped in from Calimshan just recently. Leah did not want to even think what sort of fate had awaited the children if not for their interruption of the slaver's plans, feeling relieved that their arrival had been so timely, before the children had been sent to their new owners. Now, the still terrified looking children were being brought to the Copper Coronet, where they would stay until a passage back to Calimport was secured, returning them to their families.

As for Leah's group, the only one to suffer any notable injuries was Edwin, somehow managing to get himself stabbed in the melee, having decided that the stoneskin spell to protect himself was only used by incompetent hedge wizards, the Red Wizard thinking himself untouchable. While healing the shallow stab wound in his side, Leah made sure to give the wizard an earful, telling him in no uncertain terms to adopt a slightly less suicidal attitude to life in general. Still, overall, Leah was well pleased with the outcome of their daring attack on slavery in Athkatla. Looting Haegan's office had yielded close to four thousand gold, as well as some important looking correspondence that she pocketed for later perusal. She was not so naive to believe that the slaving ring in Amn was broken with this one attack, the sinful trade was something that she did not believe they could ever break completely, not while the authorities continued to turn a blind eye to it. But striking the slavers was both a morally satisfying and practically profiting activity, so she decided to jump upon it whenever an opportunity such as this presented itself. The only concern was that the slavers one day might decide to take steps and strike back at her group.

Having spent considerable time in looting the slaver base, Leah and her companions eventually decided to return to the Coronet, carrying their considerable spoils with them. Preferring to avoid the sewers, they took another exit from the compound, with surprise discovering that they had spent all this time fighting inside a massive dry docked ship not far from the Copper Coronet, the vessel having been repurposed to suit the needs of the slavers, none of the locals realizing that the odd feature in the slums landscape served such a vile purpose.

Back at the Copper Coronet, a welcome and pleasant surprise awaited Leah, Jaheira having returned from her meeting with the Harpers, the young priestess catching the druidess sitting at the bar and listening to Bernard and Hendak bringing her up to speed about the change in management and the defeat of the slavers. "Leah!" Jaheira exclaimed, smiling broadly as she finally noticed their approach. Somewhat surprisingly, she quickly walked up to the young Sorlyn and threw her arms around Leah in a tight embrace. "I missed you while I was gone, and I am sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

"Well... it's not a problem, really," Leah managed a smile in reply. She was very happy to see her friend returning to them, but Jaheira's unexpectedly affectionate behavior was making her a little wary. _It's almost as if she has something to tell me that she knows I won't like._

"I am relieved that you are not upset, for there is something that I must ask of you," Jaheira at least did not mince her words before cutting to the chase, something that Leah was grateful about. _Ah, and there's the catch._ "We must go to the Harper Hold in Athkatla. I have been asked to bring you, and we must go soon. Preferably now."

"What's the hurry, Jaheira?" Leah asked, narrowing her eyes. "We're all a little tired after taking on the slavers, so can't this wait?"

"I... would prefer to get it out of the way as soon as possible," Jaheira replied. She was trying to remain stoical and unaffected, but some nervousness kept slipping into her posture. "The company of the others will not be necessary. In fact..." she scowled while facing both Viconia and Edwin. "I should say that their company might be undesirable."

_I don't believe that Jaheira would ever lead me into a trap, even though she is acting very suspiciously... and does not seem to be enjoying this one bit herself. She is probably carrying out an order that she does not agree with... but she would not bring me into harm's way, so it's probably some nosey busybody like Elminster wanting to talk with me and perhaps dispense some cryptic and unhelpful advice. And I suppose that Jaheira will not calm down until we have visited her precious Harpers, so I might as well do it now for her sake._

"Fine, let me just draw a breath, have a drink and then we'll go," Leah said, passing some of the loot she was carrying to Viconia.

"This is not a good idea, Leah," the Drow shook her head warningly. "Take us with you, or you might come to regret your decision," she added, giving Jaheira a challenging stare, but the druidess simply ignored her with cool disregard.

"You worry too much, Viconia," Leah smiled at her Drow friend, shooing her away. However, her own nervousness seemed to increase with the warning for Viconia had always proved to have excellent senses in anticipating danger.

Still, having finished her drink and rested a little bit, Leah and Jaheira set out from the Copper Coronet, walking briskly through the nightly Athkatla in the direction of the docks. Jaheira seemed unwilling to talk much, intentionally walking fast as if to try and keep Leah breathless and unable to pose any inquiries. As they finally reached the Docks District, the first sign of morning light began to appear from beyond the horizon, Leah finally stopping in her tracks and forcing Jaheira to cease her ferocious pacing as well.

"So, would you mind telling me what has you so wound up?" Leah demanded sternly, wanting to know as much as she could before she followed Jaheira into the proverbial lion's den.

"What are you talking about, I am not wound up in the slightest!" Jaheira snapped back impatiently.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Yes, and I'm the Princess of Chult," she sighed. "Now, I refuse to think that you would be leading me into a trap..." Jaheira looked physically ill at those words. "But you've got to admit, all this looks pretty damn suspicious."

"It is... nothing like that at all," Jaheira let out a sigh of her own. "Someone amongst the Harpers has demanded an audience with you. I have been tasked to deliver you to the Hold."

"So, someone wants to chat with me, hardly a reason to be worried, right?" Leah prodded.

"Well... in theory they do not have the authority to make such a demand. Should not have the authority," Jaheira elaborated, looking uncomfortable. "But... I thought that it would be in the best interests of us both to retain a good relationship with the local Harpers. That is the only reason why I am cooperating in this matter."

"Hmm... well, sounds harmless enough, I suppose," Leah nodded, feeling a bit more relieved. "I mean, it's not like they're going to do something horrible to me, right? I mean, they're Harpers. I've always been helpful and cooperative with them in the past, which should count for something, surely..."

"I hope so as well," Jaheira nodded as they resumed their path towards the Harper Hold.

"The house of Valygar Corthala is somewhere around here," Leah mused as they walked through a slightly more respectable part of the Docks, featuring guard barracks and a temple to Oghma. Still, the respectability was very relative, especially compared to the noble villas sprawling in the Government and Gem Districts. "His family seems to have really fallen from grace. Perhaps we could pay a visit on our way back and make some subtle inquiries?"

"I do not see why not," Jaheira nodded, but then the conversation broke until they finally arrived at the Harper Hold, another surprise awaiting Leah by the entrance as two familiar figures stepped out of the shadows and approached them, revealing themselves as Viconia and Yoshimo.

"Sorry, tree-hugger, but I'm not buying your explanations," Viconia spoke up, ignoring Jaheira's angry scowl. "As for you..." she turned to Leah. "Send me away, if you wish. But if you do so, you will be sending me away from your company for good. I will not suffer fools who ignore my counsel."

"Oh, fine..." Leah sighed, then looking at Yoshimo. "Did you bring him as a backup?" she asked the Drow.

"Not at all," Yoshimo replied for her. "We met each other here at the entrance. It seems that I was not the only one to find the explanations somewhat lacking... no offense, my lady," he bowed at Jaheira apologetically.

"Well, you're worried over nothing," Leah grinned. "Still, I suppose if you're already here you might just as well join us. Jaheira..." she turned towards the druidess. "It's an awfully inconvenient hour for a social call, really... would you mind going in and alerting them that their guest of honor has arrived?"

"Yes, though you do not have to stand here outside," Jaheira said, leading them all inside the large, gaudily decorated main hall that appeared completely empty, the Harpers probably having complete trust in the warding runes at the entrance, Jaheira's allegiance allowing them to enter unhindered. "Wait here, I will return with Galvarey shortly."

"Interesting establishment for an organization that prides itself in battling the greed and opulence of unjust rulers and tyrants," Yoshimo commented, Leah nodding in agreement, also a little surprised at the amount of the lavish decorations.

"While I care little for that observation, I can share the interesting fact of having been attacked by a vampire on my way here," Viconia joined in the conversation, Leah giving the Drow a very worried stare, her heart skipping a little. "Do not worry, little _jalil_ ," Viconia chuckled, having noticed the concern in her eyes, making Leah blush a little. "I got away just fine. The creature was far too powerful for me to turn, so it had to be the old fashioned escape. The way these vampires roam the old Shadow Thief hunting grounds... it seems as if this new guild is proving too much for the Shadowmaster to handle."

"I have heard the same rumors floating around," Yoshimo muttered, then having to break the conversation as a procession of people suddenly arrived from the upper floor, Jaheira following in tow of the group and wearing an expression of concern on her face as she walked over to Leah and took place by her charge's side. The young priestess could not help but notice that the Harpers approaching them were all heavily armed, not looking as if they had just been awakened from a peaceful slumber, but at least Jaheira coming to stand by her side and assuming her best protective stance sent a wave of reassurance to Leah.

"My dear Jaheira, just look at what you have brought before us, the lovely Leah of Candlekeep," the man in front of the group of Harpers said with such a painfully fake smile that it made Leah cringe. The arrogance with which he regarded both her and Jaheira made Leah very alarmed, and with a corner of her eyes she noticed that the druidess also looked deeply agitated about their welcome. "So good to see you both," Galvarey added with a small mock bow.

"This welcome is forced, and you know it, Galvarey," Jaheira spat. "Both Leah and I would rather be elsewhere instead of your company here. Now state your case and be done with it, so that I can get on with my own job as well."

"Of course, Jaheira. You serve the greater cause that we all do," Galvarey gave the druidess another smile that left her unimpressed before turning back to Leah. "Now, my dear Leah, do you know why you have been brought here?"

_Because Harpers meddle in the affairs of others, an activity they take sadistic pleasure in,_ Leah thought to herself, smirking even as she uttered a less provocative reply to Galvarey. "There could be a number of reasons that I can think of, but all things considered, I would have to assume that it has to do with my parentage."

"Very astute," the fake smile never left Galvarey's lips. "Yes, what could possibly overshadow your heritage as a matter of concern, hmm? Very well, I will outline exactly what I wish to know. Let me ask you a few things straight away, dear Leah. Nothing too intrusive, I assure you. What are your earliest childhood memories? Are they happy ones?"

Leah blinked, at first unable to believe what she was hearing. A quick glance at Jaheira revealed that the druidess also looked utterly shocked and bewildered at Galvarey's line of questioning. Leah sighed, peeking back at the alert looking Viconia and Yoshimo, giving them a small nod to be ready, even as she herself frantically tried to think of an answer that would somehow allow her to talk them all out of this mess. Still, everything about Galvarey's appearance, together with his lackeys in full battle gear, the arrogant expression on his face, as well as the ridiculous and provocative line of questioning spoke of only one intent.

_Yep, things are going to end in violence here,_ Leah thought to herself, looking at Jaheira again, the druidess giving Galvarey her best narrow-eyed glare. _I hope that you will make the right choice, my friend, even if I should never be asking you to choose between myself and your own kin. But I feel that this man will force our hand... and I will need you by my side... to survive what is to come._


	16. Chapter 16

Leah panted heavily, standing hunched with her hands on her knees, trying to get her breath back after a heavy blow to the solar plexus had momentarily robbed her of all senses. Fortunately, that was the last thing that Galvarey had done in this life, Viconia's spell making freeze, the Drow then smashing her mace against the Harper's head, sending bits of blood and gore spraying all around them. All in all, the battle had been a difficult one, and Yoshimo had suffered the most out of Leah's group. He had managed to backstab the human mage of the Harpers, effectively eliminating them from the fight, but upon revealing himself the Kara-Turan had been knocked off balance by the other mage's magic missiles, the halfling rogue immediately exploiting the opening and stabbing Yoshimo repeatedly in the back. Now, Viconia was attending to the Kara-Turan's injuries, muttering something that sounded like Drow expletives when Leah had inquired whether Yoshimo would be fine.

Fortunately, the Harpers had ignored Jaheira at the start of the battle, Galvarey taken by complete surprise that the druidess would dare to stand on Leah's side once the fighting broke out. Jaheira had managed to complete her insect swarm spell that rendered the two mages on Galvarey's side near useless, before she engaged one of the fighters, leaving Leah to fend off Galvarey's unwelcome advances. When Galvarey finally went down as the last of the pack, all of them were tired, beaten and bloodied, but still standing, all except for Yoshimo who now finally reared his head and let out a pained groan, Viconia not exactly being gentle or sympathetic in the way she administered her healing.

Leah felt very conflicted as she looked down at the corpses of the five dead Harpers, not knowing what to think about it all, the sheer scale of it all only slowly starting to sink in. The Harpers would not let such slaughter slide without taking some kind of steps in retaliation, which meant that she had earned a powerful and dangerous enemy on this day. That, and Jaheira essentially leading her into a rather obvious trap, sent a spike of searing anger surging through her veins, egging her to lash out at the druidess, to blame her for what had happened. Still, when she turned around to look at Jaheira, the half-elf standing amongst the corpses of her slain brethren, Leah felt disarmed by the never before observed look of dismay and confusion on her friend's face. Jaheira appeared completely lost, deeply affected by what had just happened.

Certainly, Leah felt entitled to express some kind of disapproval with Jaheira's actions. She could not accuse her friend of outright betrayal, but the druidess had still displayed a very poor judgment of the situation, which was uncharacteristic of her, even if the mistake was understandable, considering her ties with the Harpers who were literally like her family. And that was what made Leah hesitate and swallow her anger. _If this makes me feel a little betrayed her... I wonder how does she feel? She was betrayed by her family, forcing her to turn on them... I can't even dare to imagine how painful it must be. I'm... not happy with what happened, not happy with her judgment, but... the Harpers will come after her as well, not just after me. I need to be there for her when that happens... we have to stand together to get through this._

"What now?" Leah finally asked, approaching Jaheira, the druidess still standing frozen like in a daze.

"I... do not know," Jaheira confessed quietly. She put a hand to her brow and wiped away the flecks of blood there, trying to gather herself, but recomposing her thoughts was obviously taking a lot of effort. "We... need to leave this place."

"I suppose that would be a start," Leah nodded. She waved to Yoshimo as she noticed the rogue climbing back up to his feet, flashing a smile at her, even if he probably still felt very sore. "Do you think there could be someone else on the premises, Jaheira?" she asked, needing her friend to resume thinking rationally again, despite of what had just happened. "Anyone who could maybe testify that Galvarey had planned this all along?"

"No... I do not think so," Jaheira shook her head slowly. "He would have made sure that only those who supported him would be present." She looked at the dead bodies on the ground again. "And... none of them will be able to speak with those coming to investigate this."

"Still, I'd like to be sure... maybe someone was hiding on the upper floor?" Leah shrugged, looking at their rogue again. "Yoshimo, do you feel well enough to check out the second floor for us? And don't be shy if you notice something valuable lying around... I'm feeling entitled to some kind of restitution here." Jaheira gave her a pointed stare, but refrained from saying anything, looking as if she had remembered something at the last moment.

"It will be done, my young lovely," Yoshimo replied confidently, walking over to the stairs, his gait steady as the healing spells had obviously done their job.

"Hmm... Jaheira, I don't see the woman that you left with amongst the dead here," Leah pointed out, having remembered something. "Do you think she might have known something about Galvarey's plans?"

"Meronia? No, I can't imagine that... she was merely one of several agents instructed to look for me on Galvarey's behalf," Jaheira replied, shaking her head. "It is unlikely that he would have shared his plan with them all... especially considering how outrageously unsanctioned his actions were."

"Oh well, it was worth asking," Leah shrugged, then looking at Viconia. "Want to join me for the usual plundering of the bodies? Make sure to look for something that could provide an insight into their plans... though I suppose discriminating correspondence would be too much to hope for. Anyway..." she looked back at Jaheira. "Feel free to sit out this part..."

Leah was about to set to work when Viconia walked up to her, scowling and looking unimpressed. "Wait... was that it?" the Drow asked, sounding almost disbelieving.

"Hmm? What are you talking about, Viconia?" Leah asked, her brow wrinkling with uncertainty.

"She leads you into a trap," Viconia snapped, pointing at the indifferent looking Jaheira nearby. "She nearly gets us all killed... and you're just going to drop it like that?"

"It's... complicated," Leah sighed. "Anyway, this is not the time for it. Like Jaheira said, we should be away from this place as soon as possible."

"And after all this you still trust her judgment?" Viconia shook her head. "You disappoint me, _abbil_. If someone had done this to me... they would be lying amongst those corpses on the floor." She turned towards Jaheira, looking incensed. "If I had lured you all into a trap like this... what would **you** say to me?"

"Say? I would say nothing," Jaheira replied slowly. "I would beat you within an inch of your life and then ask why I should not finish you off for good."

"So at least you know what you deserve," Viconia nodded. "Be grateful that Leah is foolishly merciful."

"Viconia... please," Leah spoke up pleadingly. "Just... drop it. I... appreciate the sentiment, but... not now, please. Let's just... finish up here and be off. We can discuss it at length once we're back in safety."

"I... will find some way to make up for what happened here," Jaheira spoke up, her voice sounding hoarse, almost as if breaking with emotion. "Give me enough time... I will find someone sympathetic amongst my old contacts... someone who could help us..."

"They will come after us, won't they?" Leah asked, going over one corpse after another, but not finding much in the way of incriminating evidence, relieving the dead Harpers from any valuables they were carrying.

"Yes, they will," Jaheira confirmed the unpleasant truth. "And they will not stop until I have been brought to justice."

"Well, there's your solution," Viconia shrugged, searching through Galvarey's possessions, but also looking as if she was not having much luck. "When the Harpers come, we'll simply hand the tree-hugger over. Let her deal with the mess she's made."

"If that will be their only demand, then..." Jaheira started to speak, finding herself interrupted by Leah.

"No, I refuse to even think about that!" she shouted. "I will not hear anything about it right now, please!" she added, sounding a little desperate. "Damn it... this all makes me feel sick. I just... want to be away from this blasted city."

"That might be advisable, Leah, we will be safer away from Athkatla," Jaheira nodded. "It will not throw them off our tail for long, but it will buy us some time."

"Then it is decided," Leah said with certainty, rising from the ground as the unpleasant work of looting the corpses was complete. "We will depart after we've had a bit of sleep back at the Coronet. We have several assignments to tackle outside Athkatla, but we don't have to make the decision of where to head first right now."

Embroiled in arguments and their own tasks, the three women had already managed to forget about Yoshimo, and so his reappearance back in the central hall startled them a little bit. "No luck," the rogue shrugged his shoulders, looking rather pleased with himself about managing to successfully sneak up on the ladies. "I did find someone, but they have been dead for several days at least."

"Excuse me?" Leah blinked, looking at the Kara-Turan.

"Some scrawny halfling," Yoshimo shrugged again. "Looked to have been blasted by a powerful magical spell. The fool had probably sneaked in and triggered one of the Harper warding runes."

"Ah... that was probably Xzar's best friend, Montaron," Leah shook her head, not looking particularly saddened by this turn of events. "Spiteful little creature, our ways parted soon after meeting them back on our way to the Friendly Arm."

"I do not suppose this Xzar would view us returning the body of this Montaron to him as worthy of a reward?" Yoshimo asked.

"I would advise against doing such a thing," Jaheira warned. "Xzar was skilled at the art of necromancy. The last thing we need is an undead Montaron crawling around Athkatla and performing various tasks in service of the Zhentarim."

"You should keep your advice to yourself, _elg'caress_ ," Viconia snapped, still looking irritated at the druidess.

"Well, I think Jaheira does bring up a fair point, so we'll just leave Montaron resting happily where he is," Leah shrugged, pointing at the doors. "But now... now we really should get away from here."

* * *

The brief visit to Valygar Corthala's house in the docks had been rather productive, all things considered. The hour had been impolitely early for a social call, but after some frantic banging on the doors, their knocking had been answered by the sole caretaker of the estate, an elderly chap by the name of Hervo. He had been understandably suspicious of them at first, but Leah had summoned her most disarming smile and it had eventually convinced the old-timer that she was not in the league with 'those awful wizards'.

Hervo had become a lot more talkative after that, and even if he could not provide Valygar's exact location, he still managed to share plenty of helpful information. Valygar had went into hiding almost a month ago, after receiving a visit from a group of Cowled Wizards. Hervo had overheard loud shouting before a fight had broken out in his master's upstairs study, and Lord Corthala had apparently somehow managed to slip away through the window, but not before cutting down two of the mages. Hervo swore that his master had not returned to the estate after that, but Valygar had been in contact to let his old servant know that he was in safety.

Some more prodding later, Hervo finally gave in and showed Leah the brief message he had received from his master. It did not have any clear hints, but Valygar spoke of having found sanctuary with his friends amongst rangers and scouts. This fit together with the detail that Anomen had learned about Valygar's land property in the Umar Hills. Of course, Leah did not think that Lord Corthala would be as stupid as to stay at his own lodge in the hills, since the Cowled Wizards more than likely knew of its existence as well. Still, it was more than possible that some of the local rangers in Imnesvale had common friends with Valygar, and would be able to lead them to their quarry.

Now, after seven hours of much needed sleep back at the Copper Coronet, Leah sat at one of the tables together with the rest of her group, finally ready to discuss their plans. Of course, Jaheira had fumed a little about Leah's decision to rest, but having been up the entire night, the young priestess knew that she would not be able to last the whole journey on foot back to the D'Arnise Keep. She also did not think that they were in such a hurry since the Harpers probably would not learn about what had happened until the morning, and even once they had discovered the bodies, Leah figured that it would take them a lot of time to understand what had happened, especially if Galvarey had kept his plans well hidden from the others.

"So, let me just start by letting you all know that there have been some interesting developments," Leah told the others, all gathered at the table and looking at her. "Without delving into details, we have had a rather... violent disagreement with the local Harpers, and as such, I have decided that we will be leaving the capital for... undetermined period of time."

"Are you alright, my Lady?" Anomen asked, giving her a deeply concerned look before turning to the druidess. "Lady Jaheira... what happened?"

"As I said... let us not delve into details just now," Leah spoke up more sternly, Anomen frowning a little, but not pushing the issue. "We have three courses of action before us. There is still Lord Firkraag's task to eliminate the ogres and orcs in Windspear Hills... but there are certain associated risks with this mission."

"I hope that you don't intend to delay this matter for much longer, my Lady," Anomen could not resist another interruption. "The lives of my fellow knights and squires could be at stake."

"I have not forgotten," Leah said, giving Anomen a pointed look. "Then we have a request of aid from the city of Trademeet which apparently is under attack from wild druids and other woodland creatures."

"There is great evil afoot to make innocent animals behave so! Such wickedness deserves just punishment by the butt-kicking duo of Minsc and Boo!" Minsc joyfully declared. "Listen at how Boo is outraged at this injustice, he is growling like a mountain bear!" Boo truly seemed to make a tiny noise that sounded like a burp.

"I believe that your ever so wise space hamster simply passed gas, ranger. (Although I wish he would point the back end of that creature the other way,)" Edwin rolled his eyes.

"That is true, Red Wizard shows great knowledge in the ways of nature!" Minsc beamed at Edwin. "And it was no simple gas... it was the Gas of Evil! Boo gets it from baked beans."

"I... see, well, thank you for that little bit of information, Minsc," Leah grinned. "But finally, we also have a task from the mayor of Imnesvale in the Umar Hills, where the locals are beset by some kind of mysterious murderer. Also, it has only recently come to our attention that Lord Valygar Corthala, the man we are trying to find, might be hiding somewhere in the Umar Hills. So, since we have more assignments leading us to the town of Imnesvale, I would like to start our tour of Amn there."

"I have no objections to that," Jaheira nodded. "Perhaps we could visit Trademeet afterwards. It is not too far from the Umar Hills."

"Or the Windspear Hills," Anomen butted in, giving a sour look to Jaheira.

"We will decide that after we have wrapped up our dealings in Imnesvale," Leah shrugged. "Now, there are other matters we should-... yes, Edwin?" she asked, noticing that the Red Wizard had raised his hand.

"Unlike the rest of you, I have not managed to entangle myself into any complications with that meddling lot of Harpers. (And if I would have, they would be the ones regretting it,)" Edwin stated. "I do not see why I should abandon the comforts of the city in order to travel around the uncivilized swamps and forests of this dismal land. In short... I will not be accompanying you on this pointless journey."

"Uh... whatever, Edwin," Leah said, not feeling terribly surprised by the Red Wizard's attitude. "The rest of this conversation will be of no interest to you then, so you may leave."

"Then that is what I will do," Edwin nodded. "Feel free to call upon my splendid advice and peerless skill once you have came back to your senses and returned to Athkatla," he said, rising from the table and proudly strutting away.

"Right..." Leah tapped her fingertips against the surface of the table, Edwin's slightly unexpected exit having distracted her a little. "Oh yes, Yoshimo!" she exclaimed, the rogue immediately looking up at her, surprised. "You will stay in Athkatla as well."

"Young lovely?" Yoshimo looked disapproving at the news.

"I want eyes and ears here that I can trust, Yoshimo," Leah smiled. "You have performed admirably so far, and have earned my trust. I want you to observe everything that goes on in the city, everything of interest that has to do with the guilds, and so on. And, well... I'm not being very hopeful about this... but if you could place your inquiries through some channels about what is this Spellhold and where it might be located... I would really appreciate that."

"I understand, Leah. I will not fail you in this," Yoshimo nodded. "But need I remind you that your group would be lacking a rogue?"

"Not for long, my friend," Leah smiled back at him. "Our first stop will be the D'Arnise Keep. I plan to take Nalia and Aerie with us... hopefully Nalia would have acquired the horses that she planned to secure for us."

"Horses?" Viconia stared at her intently. "You don't mean those surface animals used for pulling carts and... riding?"

"Yes, Viconia... those are horses," Leah nodded. "Why do you ask? You have no riding experience?"

"She has, but perhaps not on a horse," Jaheira quipped, Yoshimo having to bite his tongue in order not to laugh.

"Silence, _elg'caress_ ," Viconia hissed, then turning back to Leah. "No, I do not have any experience with horses... and I intend to leave it that way."

"Well, the rest of us will be riding horses, so you would struggle to keep up," Leah chuckled. "Tell you what, you can always ride with me. It will be just like with..." _Just like with Imoen,_ she thought, quickly swallowing the words. _No, it won't be. Not really._ "I mean... it will be fun, you'll see."

"If you say so," Viconia said, not looking too convinced.

"In that case, I have nothing else to say," Leah smiled, getting up from the table. "All of you who are supposed to accompany me to the Umar Hills, go and get ready for travel. We are leaving in a quarter of an hour!"

* * *

Having passed through the gates of the Athkatla as a tightly knit group of five, their procession inevitably spread out once they were already well on their way to the D'Arnise Keep. Minsc was walking at the front with Anomen, telling something to the squire now and then excitedly. Anomen himself looked like he wanted to be elsewhere, time and time again looking back at where Leah walked, wanting to approach her to pick up a conversation, but unable to find a good excuse to do so, especially with how Leah always stayed close to Jaheira, as if hoping that the sullen looking druidess would eventually open up and start to talk. Viconia walked at the back of the group, glaring daggers at Jaheira's back, but assuming an indifferent expression every time Leah turned her head to look back and smile at the Drow.

It was only after several hours of hard walking when the sun began to dip low in the sky, starting to hide behind the horizon, did Leah finally decide to fall in step with Jaheira, figuring that the druidess would have had enough time to process what had happened. "Beautiful sunset, isn't it?" she pointed at the horizon, breathtaking streaks of orange and pink lining the sky. "Reminds me of the ones we could witness back in the Candlekeep."

"Yes, it is lovely indeed," Jaheira agreed amiably. "Still, nothing like the ones I observed back in Tethyr, when the sun disappeared behind the majestic tree tops of Wealdath." The druidess let out a deep sigh. "Foolish thought, but I almost wish we would be escaping to lands further south. I have not seen Tethyr in quite some time."

"It is a very intriguing land that I have always wanted to visit," Leah smiled. "But unfortunately, we have no business there at the moment. Perhaps at some point..."

"It was just an idle thought, Leah. No need to make more out of it," Jaheira patted her on the shoulder. "Besides, it is one of the few places on Faerun where I would cause more stir than you. They are not fond of Harpers. Then again... my company is very dangerous everywhere these days, it seems..."

"So is mine, constantly," Leah chuckled. "And yet, you have always stuck with me, despite that. I'll be happy to do the same to you in return." Jaheira smiled at her at that, rare warmth in the druidess' expression. _I wish she would smile like that more often, it makes her look very... beautiful,_ Leah thought, feeling slightly surprised at how strongly Jaheira's grateful smile had affected her. "Uh, anyway... what was that with the Harpers and Tethyr?" she recovered enough to ask.

"I think the tale began a century ago, with what seems a curse in retrospect. A royal house of Tethyr was devastated by murder and death, specifically seven princesses that met their end on the same night. Only those that did the deed know, but Harpers were rumored to have aided in the deaths. None have been welcome in Tethyr since. Tragic atrocities, the exile of the Harpers being the least of them. I wish that the story had a happy end, or at least some moral value, but I have yet to find one in it."

"There doesn't seem to be one, no," Leah nodded. "So, were the Harpers really complicit? And if so, why? It seems like... such a horrible thing to aid with. Surely those princesses were not evil?"

"I do not know whether the Harpers were truly involved or not, but I suppose it is possible," Jaheira conceded. "Some of my own kin have done horrible deeds for the greater good... something that I would struggle to repeat. Perhaps something truly evil would have come to pass if the princesses had survived? I doubt we will ever find out."

"They deserved to have a chance to determine their own fate, not to have someone decide it for them," Leah said firmly. "But, well... I guess it's a reminder that not every tale has a happy ending. But I'll be damned if I won't try and fight for my and Imoen's ending to be a happy one."

"And I will help you as much as I can... even if I have not been doing a very good job at it as of late," Jaheira sighed. "After what happened in the Harper Hold... I simply feel so very tired of it all... this never-ending chase. My life was not always such, you know."

"Oh?" Leah perked up, sensing a rare opportunity. Jaheira hardly ever spoke of her past which was why she was so desperate to try and drag out some stories from the tight-lipped druidess. "What was it like, then? I really have trouble imagining you as anything other than what you are now."

"Well, I am certainly meant to be this way, but I once lived quite peacefully," Jaheira explained with a serene look on her face. "Druids took me in very young, and you can only be calm when your emotions are in balance. It was like that for a long time, but I always felt I should do more to... encourage this balance. I wouldn't let it happen again."

"Hmm... that didn't make sense," Leah looked at her curiously. "You would not allow what to happen again?"

"Eh, forget it. I was just rambling on." And suddenly it was as if Jaheira had remembered that she wasn't supposed to talk openly about these things. Still, seeing that Leah was pouting, her expression softened a little. "I appreciate the interest, though. And talking to a trusted friend helps to ease the soul. I hope our talks do as much for you as well. I mean..." she suddenly hesitated for some reason, looking away. "Could we just talk about something else?"

"Fair enough," Leah shrugged, happy to have dragged this much out of Jaheira. "I've been wondering... you heard that Cowled Wizard Gethras mentioning Spellhold, right?"

"Yes, I did," Jaheira nodded. "And you also asked Yoshimo to find out more about the place."

"Indeed... I've been wondering if Harpers might have some records about it as well," Leah said. "Or maybe some of them would have heard about it."

"That is very possible, but as you are well aware, it is not a path we can pursue right now," Jaheira replied hoarsely.

"You seem so very convinced that they won't believe our version of the events," Leah remarked. "Why is that? I would have thought that the Harpers would be interested in discovering the truth about what happened instead of just simply sending assassins after us."

"Perhaps... that might be our only hope," the half-elf agreed. "A great many things confuse me in how Those Who Harp handle themselves in Athkatla these days, so... I am not certain what to expect. I should think more on this..."

"Bah, sorry, I didn't want to remind you of all that again," Leah spoke gloomily.

"It is not something that I could forget by simply chatting with you idly, Leah," Jaheira sighed. "Please excuse me for now... I think I would prefer to be alone and think..." with that the druidess increased her pace and surged ahead of her, leaving Leah behind and shaking her head before she slowed her pace some more and allowed Viconia to catch up with her, falling into step with the Drow.

"Are you still angry at me for being a naive and stupid surfacer?" Leah eventually asked, giving the other woman a lopsided grin.

Viconia sighed. "You most certainly are frustratingly naive, but no... I am not angry with you. You will either learn or die, it is as simple as that."

"Well, that was a brutally honest assessment," Leah chuckled. "What do your senses tell you?"

"It will depend on whether you keep listening to my advice or continue to discard it," Viconia replied.

"Come now, you must have realized that I would never send Jaheira away," Leah said, a little defensively. "She is... almost like the one last link to my past, now that Imoen is not with me anymore. And... I don't think she has anyone else but me and the group after what happened, so... she's not going to do anything to endanger us."

"Yes, the poor tree-hugger... don't expect me to shed any tears for her sad fate," Viconia rolled her eyes. "But fine, you have made your point and I will drop this. Water under the bridge, as I have heard you surfacers say."

"Using surfacer idioms already, Viconia? See, we're not as bad as you thought," Leah teased.

"Bah, I still have not found anything redeeming or worthwhile in _rivvin_ ," Viconia huffed, obviously resenting Leah's innocent remark. "I have yet to find one surface dweller to treat me with any civility!" the Drow ranted, then catching the hurt look in Leah's eyes and falling silent. "I... perhaps that is not true. It appears that I am already taking your kindness for granted, which is why I excluded you from the ranks of surfacers on the whole. I should apologize," she ground out reluctantly.

"Whoa, and you even know how to apologize!" Leah gasped with exaggeration. "You are full of surprises, my dear Viconia," she winked at the Drow.

"Yes, yes, make fun of me if you wish," Viconia sighed, even if there was a shadow of a smile on her lips. "I am simply saying that you did not deserve to be included amongst my colorful summary of all the _rivvin_. You are the only surfacer who has treated me fairly, without demanding something in return."

"Aww, I like you too, Viccy," Leah grinned, ducking when the Drow threw a playful punch at her, slightly annoyed with that nickname.

"If you're going to be exceedingly irritating, perhaps you should catch up with your drooling squire and pester him," Viconia sighed.

"Perhaps I will, at that," Leah stuck her tongue out at the Drow.

"Well, why haven't you done so?" Viconia asked suddenly, the simple question momentarily confusing Leah.

"I... what do you mean?" Leah asked guardedly, not certain what Viconia was getting at.

"He obviously wants to lay with you, even you must have noticed that, as naive as you are," Viconia sighed. "And I have noticed you encouraging him now and then. But now you are acting like a coward, afraid of going after what you want... if you even know what you want..."

"I... am not sure what I want," Leah muttered. "This... really isn't a good time for... that sort of thing. We have too much on our plate as it is."

"That was possibly the worst excuse I have ever heard," Viconia laughed. "But if you don't want him, stop encouraging the _jaluk_. Unless you mean to torment him... which is perfectly fine with me."

"I... I haven't been trying to do that at all!" Leah protested loudly, clamping a palm against her mouth to silence herself, worried that someone might have overheard her. "Maybe you should just stay out of this, Viconia."

"Believe it or not, I was trying to help you, _wael_ ," the Drow sighed. "I think you need to do some soul searching of your own to understand what is it that you want."

"Perhaps..." Leah finally conceded. "Getting a good night's rest in D'Arnise Keep will help, I'm sure. I think we all could do with a little bit of comfort and luxury of proper beds and soft linens... oh, and let's not forget, soothing bath to remove all that mud and grime of the road... hey, Viccy... where are you rushing to all of a sudden?" Leah called out when Viconia suddenly increased the pace, leaving her behind.

"To that keep of yours, of course!" Viconia replied. "All those things you mentioned... suddenly, I can't wait to get there!"


	17. Chapter 17

"Leah! You are back, and in one piece!" Nalia hugged the young priestess in an enthusiastic greeting as Leah led her group into the main hall of the D'Arnise Keep. They had arrived when it was already past midnight, and with the pitch black night outside Leah hadn't been able to tell whether there had been any progress in repairing the exterior of the keep. Inside, all signs of the invasion had been removed and it seemed as if Nalia had managed to hire new people to fill the gaps left in her staff by the Roenall sponsored invasion, the halls looking shiny and spotless.

Leah was about to reply to the affectionate mage, when suddenly a terrified squeal startled them all. Aerie appeared shocked, pointing at Viconia who had just entered the hall at the back of the group, the avariel's other hand covering her mouth as she was overcome with fear. "A Drow!" she exclaimed, looking as if she was ready to faint.

"What an astute observation," Viconia commented, exchanging a knowing look with Leah.

"Nalia, Aerie... this is Viconia De Vir, an old friend and comrade of mine," Leah said quickly before Aerie went into complete state of panic. "And yes, she's a Drow, as you can see for yourselves. But like I said already... she is a friend, and that is all that should matter to you."

"You're friends with a Drow?" Aerie gasped, still looking a little stunned.

"Boo says that Aerie should not worry," Minsc chimed in helpfully. "Little Viconia can be trusted. She is an old friend and Boo and I will both vouch for her." Viconia looked rather embarrassed at that comment, muttering something insulting under her breath.

"Well... this is very unexpected... but of course, if she is a friend, she will be welcome to find shelter amongst the walls of this keep," Nalia recovered quickly, remembering her role of the generous hostess. "You will stay for a while, of course? I will have the maids prepare rooms for you... and should I have the cooks whip up something for you to eat? You must be starving after the journey!"

"Those are all excellent ideas, Nalia," Leah smiled. "We will stay here for this night at least, and yes, something to eat would be very welcome right about now..."

Not more than half an hour later they were all sitting at the large table in the main hall, feasting on the delicious fare on offer, the reheated remains of a roast boar and a rich, spicy stew of mushrooms and various vegetables. After the meals at the Copper Coronet, everything at the D'Arnise Keep tasted like the nectar of the gods. Viconia sat to Leah's right, Nalia to her right, their hostess simply watching them eat and smiling when she saw how much they enjoyed the food on offer. Anomen sat opposite to Leah, now and then looking up at the young priestess, Jaheira taking place to his left, Minsc and Aerie to the right, the avariel choosing to sit as far away from Viconia as possible, time from time casting suspicious glances at the Drow.

"So... how are things here at the keep?" Leah eventually asked, pushing her empty plate away and picking up a tankard with the warm but still tasty ale to wash down the last mouthful of roast boar.

"Oh, we've been very busy getting everything up and running, haven't we, Aerie?" Nalia asked, the elf giving a quick nod of assent. "I think that we have done a fairly good job so far. Captain Arat and others who survived the invasion have been extremely helpful as well, especially at hiring and instructing the new staff." A shadow fell across Nalia's face then. "Unfortunately, we still haven't been able to find Auntie Delcia, or discover any hints about her fate..."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Leah replied, then remembering that she still hadn't asked Jaheira about what the druidess knew about Delcia's disappearance. "But I wanted to ask if you have managed to secure horses for your stables."

"I have managed to acquire three steeds so far, and another one will be delivered tomorrow," Nalia replied proudly. "I hope that it will suffice for now."

 _Hmm, well, let's see... Viconia will be riding with me, and I suppose Aerie can ride with Nalia... or wait, maybe it would be better if she rode with Minsc or Anomen, and Jaheira with Nalia. Eh, we can sort that out tomorrow._ "Oh... yes, we will manage somehow," Leah nodded a little distractedly. "We'll have to do some creative planning, but I think that everything will work out in the end." Nalia looked at her curiously, so the young priestess quickly moved to explain. "I want you and Aerie to accompany us when we leave... either tomorrow or the day after."

"I... where do you plan to head to, Leah?" Aerie asked, a little fearful as she glanced at Viconia again, probably not relishing the idea of travelling together with a Drow.

"It could turn out to be quite a lengthy trip, so we should prepare well," Leah said. "And it is also a reason why I would like to have someone trained in the Art with us, as well as someone who can handle traps and pick locks. Our road will first lead to the Umar Hills, then we will make a stop at Trademeet and possibly later on at the Windspear Hills."

"Of course, Leah," Nalia nodded quickly. "While there remains plenty to do at the Keep, your need is great and we will most certainly do what we can to help. But... I had meant to ask..." she hesitated a little before continuing, keeping her voice quiet. "I do not see Yoshimo amongst you. Has... has something happened?"

"No, don't worry, he is fine, Nalia," Leah smiled. "I simply asked him to remain in Athkatla and keep an eye on all the developments there."

"Ah... that is good," Nalia smiled back. She leaned a little closer to Leah, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Did he... mention my name at all?"

"Umm... things were very hectic back in Athkatla... we didn't really have any time for conversations like that... I'm sorry," Leah replied, feeling bad about having to disappoint the young woman, but she could not lie in matters such as these.

"Don't worry, Leah, I was just... curious," Nalia managed another smile. If she had been upset, she most certainly hid it well. "So... Umar Hills?" she asked, speaking with the normal volume of her voice again. "A wild, but beautiful part of Amn... I wonder what sort of business you have there?"

"Oh... we have plenty on our plate, you can be sure of that..." Leah chuckled before beginning to explain all the various new tasks they had agreed to carry out back in Athkatla...

* * *

Several hours later, having enjoyed a much needed bath and then spending some time to clean her armor, Leah still did not feel like sleeping. Snoozing through most of the morning of the previous day had messed up her sleep cycle and she decided not to try and force herself into trying to sleep, already knowing that it would be pointless. Instead, Leah chose to visit the keep's library on the same floor as their bedrooms with the intent of finding something to read. The library appeared rather small, especially to someone who had grown up in Candlekeep, but it had a very cozy feel to it, and having found a reasonably captivating collection of local folk tales, Leah settled into one of the comfortable chairs, wrapping herself tightly in a blanket.

Leah started to read, but the stories, interesting as some of them were, did not succeed at holding her attention for long. She could not help but to think about some of the things that Viconia had confronted her with earlier. It was irritating that these thoughts started to creep into her head now, when all her attention should be focused on Imoen's rescue, but... perhaps it was because of Imoen, or rather, due to her absence that she felt a need... to be closer to someone she could trust and share her deepest worries with. Imoen had filled the role of her confidante, best friend and near-sister throughout their childhood and travels around Sword Coast. But now... Imoen was not here, and suddenly Leah felt like she needed to replace the void that her absence had left in her heart... but to replace with not simply a friend, but perhaps with someone who could be more than that. Certainly, she had experienced some minor crushes before, but they had passed very quickly and before she could act upon them. Now... now it seemed as if something within her was determined to continue eating at her until she finally did something about the urges that were beginning to awaken within her.

Her own reaction towards Anomen surprised her, and it seemed that the ever observant Viconia had also picked up on her inner turmoil in this regard. She did not truly understand why she was feeling so conflicted. Anomen was very handsome, tried to be chivalrous and gallant, even if he did not always succeed at it. His heart seemed to be in the right place, even if his words and actions sometimes were not fully considered, but at least they were well intentioned. He was the kind of a young knight that she and Imoen had often talked about falling in love with, especially after having read some cheap adventure and romance novels. And yet, for some reason, something was stopping her, making her hesitate. Something was missing... even though to her mind, there was absolutely nothing lacking about the young Helmite. Wasn't Anomen the kind of man that she had always dreamed about?

She remembered some of the recent occurrences when her emotions had spiked, making her heart beat faster, trying to recall if Anomen had been involved in any of these events. Leah could not stop herself from blushing as she remembered her own reaction from seeing Viconia wear _that_ dress. Certainly, the Drow had a magnificent body, but to Leah it felt that it was not just simply envy that she had felt at that moment. And then there was the fleeting memory from a few hours ago, when Jaheira had smiled at her, a happy smile for once, something she had not seen from the druidess for months. She did not understand why, but it had made her experience a powerful need to do what she could to make Jaheira smile like that again. _Oh, by Milil, what does it all mean?_ Leah groaned inwardly. _Is there something wrong with me? Am I not normal? I couldn't be... no... no, it's just not possible. I should be attracted to Anomen... no, I_ _ **AM**_ _attracted to Anomen, I just... I just need to force myself a little bit... get through this confusion... just do it, and... and everything will be alright._

It was then that suddenly the doors to the library opened with a slight creak, a figure stepping through. Leah smiled broadly as she noticed Anomen, dressed in simple linen trousers and a white shirt, almost unrecognizable from the knight in shining armor that she had come to envision him as. His step was unusually light without his armor on as he quietly walked through the library, finally stopping when he noticed Leah tucked comfortably into one of the chairs, smiling when he realized that she was awake and looking at him.

"Can't sleep either, Anomen?" she asked softly. "I thought you would have no problem with that, you probably spent all morning up and about at the Coronet while the rest of us were busy sleeping."

"I... well, there was... something on my mind, and I think it has been keeping me from sleeping," Anomen confessed, stepping closer. "May I?" he asked, pointing at the chair opposite to Leah's, sitting down after receiving a swift permission. "My lady, I was hoping to talk with you... and there did not seem to be any opportunities to do so on the road here. The Drow appeared to have all your attention to herself," he added, a little bitterly.

"Don't worry about Viconia, Anomen," Leah smiled at him. "She is not trying to corrupt me to her evil ways, I can safely promise you that."

"I wish I would be as certain of it as you are, my Lady," Anomen sighed. "Drow are creatures of lie and deceit, and while she no longer serves the Spider Queen, Shar is no more gentle or caring mistress than Lolth. Viconia might not wish us ill... but who knows what designs her dark goddess has in store for her and us all? Shar might one day demand something from her that endangers us all, and Viconia would have to carry out the wishes of her goddess..."

Leah threw the blanket aside and rose from her chair, the sudden movement startling Anomen a little as he mistook her reaction for anger. "It is not that simple, Anomen," Leah replied patiently. "My... unique heritage causes many to consider me dangerous. The servants of the so called good deities tend to view me as much as a threat as the evil ones, if not more so. Perhaps some of the paladins amongst your own Order think that I should be killed, if only to prevent chaos from spreading in my footsteps." Anomen's dark blush suggested that her guess was a correct one. "And I do not think that either Helm, Tyr or Torm would lament the loss of a Bhaalspawn."

"If they knew you as I do, my Lady, they would never want to cause you any harm," Anomen spoke up passionately.

 _A sweet sentiment, but... I'm not sure he actually knows me... the real me. We have met only barely a tenday ago._ "It is kind of you to say so, Anomen, but... for someone like me, trusted friends are hard to come by," she replied instead. "And I consider Viconia a trusted friend. Maybe I'm being foolish and maybe it will get me killed in the end, but to trust her is my decision, and I will ask you to respect it."

"Of course, my Lady," Anomen said, rising from his seat as well to approach Leah, standing next to her at the fireplace that probably hadn't seen use since late Tarsakh. "I did not wish to discuss the Drow, anyway. There was... something else on my mind."

"Oh?" Leah looked at him with interest. "Something that you would care to share?"

"Yes, I... in less than two months, the Order will hold the annual tournament for its paladins, knights and squires," Anomen began to explain. "I believe that my Test would come soon after that, and... it would please Helm if I would leave a good impression at the tournament. In the previous years, I have always asked my sister Moira to attend and show me the favor of allowing me to be her champion. While I could ask her again, and she would gladly agree... I... well, I..." the young squire blushed heatedly, drawing a deep breath before he could finish. "My Lady, I would be deeply honored if you could attend this important event, and... well, I would like to be your champion..."

"But of course, Anomen," Leah smiled back at him. "I would be honored to make an appearance and show you the favor of being my champion." _And maybe make friends with all those knights and paladins, so that they don't declare me a spawn of Evil and sentence me with hanging or worse..._

"You would do me the honor?" Anomen exclaimed, taking her hands in his, probably not truly conscious of what he was doing. "My Lady... that means so much for me. I can't tell you how grateful I am..."

Leah blushed as well, struggling to form a coherent reply. The scene was set, the perfect opportunity begged for their first kiss. _Come now, Leah, say something inviting, go on! Something like 'maybe you could show me how grateful you are'... argh, that sounds so... like I'm desperate or something... maybe I am... I should just pull him closer and kiss him... prove to myself that I'm normal... I can do this... I can..._ With trembling arms, she tugged lightly on Anomen's hands, making the young Helmite lean closer, herself reaching up towards him and pressing her lips against his for a rather awkward and very hesitant kiss.

"My... Lady?" Anomen gasped as they parted, both red in the face. He looked stunned, yet happy beyond his wildest dreams. "I... had hoped, but..."

"Let me guess... you haven't done it before, either..." Leah smiled shyly, feeling a little more confident when Anomen nodded, pulling him into another kiss, one that lasted a little longer. _See, there you go, that wasn't so bad... you can do it, Leah. Anomen is nice... and doesn't it feel good to have proven that you're normal?_

And while those thoughts made her feel a sense of relief, others, more insidious ones kept creeping up and began to torment her even as she stood there, still holding Anomen's hands. _This should have felt better than just 'not so bad' and you know it, Leah... you are trying to fool yourself. And you are deceiving and hurting Anomen in the process. How can you use him like this, simply to try and prove something about yourself, without caring of how it might affect him!_

With a sudden gasp, Leah quickly pulled away from Anomen, withdrawing her hands. "My Lady?" Anomen asked, looking concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I... it's not you, it's me..." Leah muttered hastily, lowering her eyes. "I should not have done that... I'm sorry."

"Well, if it makes it easier on you Leah, please know that I am not at all sorry that you did it," Anomen smiled at her.

"No, you don't understand, Anomen. It was not fair to you," Leah shook her head with determination. "I am simply... very confused, right now. About my life, about everything that is going on... I don't trust myself to know what I want, so... I should not have given you any hopes, when I am so uncertain about everything..."

"My Lady, you have not given me any hopes beyond those which I was already harboring," Anomen confessed, making Leah's blush intensify. "But I will respect your feelings, Leah. I will be patient and wait until you are more certain about what you want. Just know that I will always be there for you to talk with and to give you whatever support you need."

"Thank you, Anomen... that's very noble of you," Leah smiled, looking less upset now.

"But I still expect you to be my lady at the tournament, Leah," Anomen added with a smile of his own.

"Of course, like I said, I would be very honored to-..." she was suddenly interrupted by the creaking of the library doors again, but they fell shut immediately afterwards, without letting them see who had been standing there. "I mean, I will most certainly attend the event," Leah managed to finish, suddenly feeling a little tired. "But now, I think I should return to my room and get some sleep."

"Then I shall bid you good night, my lady," Anomen smiled, watching her turn around and leave.

As soon as Leah left the library, her thoughts were immediately overtaken by curiosity as to who had tried to enter the library while she had been talking with Anomen. She wondered whether it could have been Viconia, carefully opening the doors to the Drow's room, illuminating it with the candle that she carried in a brass holder. Still, Viconia was clearly not the culprit for the Drow woman was sleeping peacefully in her bed. _By Milil, she really is... so much more beautiful, when she's not scowling or ranting angrily,_ Leah thought as the candlelight fell on Viconia's relaxed expression, the young priestess then quickly closing the doors in order not to wake up her friend.

Deciding that it must have been Jaheira, Leah then quickly checked the druidess' room as well, finding it empty. The corridors were all dark and silent, and Leah could not help but to feel a little worried, wondering where her friend had gone. Still, searching for her throughout the massive keep would take hours, so there wasn't much else for Leah to do but to return to her own room. _Maybe she just went out for a breath of fresh air,_ Leah thought as she entered her room, and then almost dropped her candle holder in surprise as she saw Jaheira standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed on her chest, the druidess staring at her intently.

"By the gods... don't scare me like this, please," Leah gasped, trying to steady herself. "And what's this about sneaking into my room, anyway? What if I had brought Anomen back here with me?"

The expression on Jaheira's face did not change. "Please, we both know that was not going to happen," she said simply, without any elaboration.

 _Wait, has she noticed something wrong with me as well? What the... how can they be so aware of these things that I myself remain blind to? I still don't know what is happening with me... but this smug, confident statement almost makes me wish I_ _ **had**_ _dragged Anomen back here just to prove her wrong!_ "Right... was there anything you wanted, Jaheira?" Leah asked, quickly pushing all her conflicting thoughts aside.

"I... could not sleep," Jaheira admitted, starting to slowly pace around the room. "And so I came to see if you were awake as well. Since you had found yourself company in the library, I decided against interrupting you and instead chose to wait for you here."

"Umm... yes, I too had trouble sleeping," Leah shrugged. "But I was going to make another attempt at it again."

"I will not delay you for long," Jaheira nodded. "I was just thinking... earlier, during our journey, you asked a question of me and I brushed it aside. I would speak of it now... if you still wish to hear, that is."

"Of course, Jaheira. Always glad to hear you out, you know that," Leah smiled, crawling into her bed and pulling her legs underneath herself.

"It is nothing important in the grand scheme of things," Jaheira shrugged, stopping her pacing. "Still, it occurs to me that I know much of you, but you know very little of me. And I think that you should know more, especially in the light of what has happened and what awaits us in the future."

"Anything you wish to share with me, I will happily listen to," Leah said earnestly.

"It has to do with my reasons for seeking to join the Harpers or a similar service," Jaheira began. "In time, I was made aware of what had come before, and what still happened outside of the forests. I came to the druids after my family died during a king's fall." Leah gave her friend a very surprised stare at that, making the half-elf smile softly. "No... no, I am not royalty, and neither do I grieve. I do not feel their loss in that way. But I was angry that a life was taken from me, even though I still live. It had happened far from the grove, but I brought the conflict there in my manner. Everything was in the balance at the grove, but I decided that this equilibrium needed help beyond the forest, or it would eventually fail there as well. Simple reasoning, I suppose."

Leah nodded at that. "Yes, though not many think about these things in the big picture," she said. "They are content to spend their lives protecting the precious little what they have and not caring about what happens outside their domain. A narrow, if focused view of the world that is very common amongst us, humans."

"Exactly," Jaheira spoke, looking at Leah approvingly. "We cannot ignore the big picture because we are a part of it, and yet many choose to do so." She suddenly looked a little uncertain again, hesitating. "I... don't know why I didn't wish this known. Perhaps I simply thought such a history was unimportant by the standards of others such as... well, someone of your heritage."

"Nonsense," Leah shook her head dismissively. "There is much I have learned from you and I hope to continue to learn. And it helps me to understand where your enormous drive and desire to be in control of things stems from. It speaks volumes of you as a person, and I see nothing trite there."

"Thank you, Leah," Jaheira smiled again, Leah feeling a little overwhelmed at seeing that... almost delighted smile again. "You have developed a knack of saying exactly the things that I need to hear... that was hardly the case at the start of our relationship."

"Yes... I seem to remember annoying you with almost every spoken word," Leah chuckled.

"It was not quite as bad as that," the druidess replied. "Still, I should let you rest now... unless there is something you wish to tell me."

"Hmm? No, I can't think of anything," Leah shrugged, faking a yawn.

"Are things well with Anomen?" Jaheira asked. Leah blinked at that, failing to respond. "I know that you are not very experienced in the matters of heart, so I hope you know that you can always come to me with questions... or with anything that bothers you. But you know that, don't you?"

"Yes... yes, of course!" Leah exclaimed quickly. "No questions for now, though... we are, umm... taking things very slowly." Jaheira nodded at that, though Leah could not help but to feel that the druidess appeared a little skeptical. In truth, Leah desperately wanted, needed someone to talk to about the conflicting feelings that she had for Anomen, and usually she would have gone to either Jaheira or Viconia with her questions, but right now she found that she just simply could not do that... because both Jaheira and Viconia suddenly felt like a part of the problem for some reason, especially the Drow.

"Very well... in that case, I bid you goodnight," Jaheira finally said, walking out of her room.

"Goodnight, Jaheira," Leah called out, then blowing out the candles and finally settling into the bed in search for sleep.

* * *

Having spent most of the night up and falling asleep only an hour or so before dawn, Leah slept in until early afternoon, which considerably delayed their departure from the D'Arnise Keep. Still, several hours after their glorious but surly leader had awoken, the party of seven had departed from the Keep, leaving Captain Arat as the man in charge. The last of the horses had been delivered earlier in the morning, and so the traveling arrangements had been made as Leah had envisioned them earlier, Aerie riding with Minsc, Jaheira taking Nalia with her, while Anomen was left to carry most of the heavy luggage on his poor steed. And as for Leah... she currently had Viconia's hands wrapped around her waist, the Drow pressing tightly against her from behind, feeling deeply mistrustful towards the horses, almost afraid of them.

The plain and unexciting view of sprawling farmlands continued for some time while they still traveled eastwards, but once they reached the magnificent and well maintained cobblestone road of the Trade Way and turned south, the landscape soon changed, especially once they left the last of the larger cities behind them. The forests became thicker and wilder, the jagged cliffs here and there appeared higher and sharper, and they rode for long periods of time without seeing any fellow travelers. Tall stone guard towers stood at regular intervals alongside the road, but at best only every third of them was still occupied by guards, and some of the towers had collapsed entirely from the lack of proper maintenance. It was clear that they were entering a less civilized part of Amn, but certainly a much more beautiful and intriguing one compared to the drab and impersonal larger cities, especially the capital Athkatla.

"So, are you finally getting used to the horse, Viconia?" Leah asked with a smile, the two of them riding well at the back of the group. From the still firm grip that Viconia held on her waist, Leah already knew that this was not true, but she could not resist teasing the Drow a little.

"I doubt I will ever get used to these animals," Viconia replied stiffly. "Still... I cannot ignore the fact that it does make the travel faster." She adjusted her posture slightly, the way in which her hands moved across Leah's stomach more than a little distracting. "And it puts me in an interesting position... only now did it occur to me that since you must concentrate on guiding the animal, I can do things like these... to torment you..." the Drow chuckled, Leah having to bite the inside of her cheek in order not to squeal as Viconia softly blew a teasing breath against her ear.

"Stop that, please... or else I will become so distracted that the horse will drop off us both," Leah hissed at the Drow.

"Perhaps I should look at it as a test of your willpower," Viconia did not relent. She pressed even tighter against Leah's back, running her hands up and down the young human's abdomen.

"What... what are you doing, Viconia?" Leah gasped, unable to do anything to stop the Drow.

"Oh, merely testing a theory," the Drow laughed back. "So, did you use the time we spent at the keep to think about some of the things I told you, my little _jalil_?"

"I didn't really have the time for it, Viconia... now, please, could we talk about something else? This nonsense is making it hard for me to concentrate on the road," Leah protested.

"Well, if you find the matter so nonsensical, why would it be making it hard for you to concentrate?" Viconia asked with that irritating logic of hers. "Let me tell you about my theory, my dear Leah... I think it does a good job at explaining why you find it so hard to consummate your lusts with the male _iblith_."

"La-la-la, I can't hear you..."

"The truth is that men simply do not excite you enough, they do not set your body aflame so hot that you cannot think about anything else but how to satisfy your raging desire," Viconia whispered in her hear. "My little _jalil_ , I know what you are and where your tastes lay... you are a lover of women, _abbil_..."

"That is... completely ridiculous! I will hear none of it!" Leah snarled in reply, her face bright red from the shame she felt at these accusations. "I like... I love Anomen very much! And I will prove that you are... absolutely and completely wrong with these... these dirty implications!"

"Why do you speak of it as if it were a bad thing?" Viconia sounded rather astonished at Leah's reaction. "And no... I don't think I am wrong at all. You can try to deny it as much as you want, but you will only be fooling yourself."

"Stop it this instant, Viconia! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Leah exclaimed angrily, completely losing her cool.

"Lady Leah?" a voice came from ahead of them, Anomen probably having overheard her shouting at Viconia, or... "Watch out!"

 _Watch out? Huh?_ Only then did Leah notice that her horse had walked way off the road, dangerously close to a deep ditch. She sought to correct the horse's path, but the animal did not respond at first, and when she tugged the reigns too insistently, the horse turned around too sharply and sent both Leah and Viconia falling out of the saddle and into the ditch, landing in a painful tangle of limbs.

"Damn it, look at what your irritating and utterly untrue implications made me do!" Leah hissed, pushing the wincing Viconia away as they both tried to get up, the young priestess waving to her concerned comrades to indicate that they were both alright and did not require any aid.

"I don't believe that for a moment," Viconia snapped back. "It would not have happened if you had simply admitted that I am correct. You are being incredibly foolish about this entire issue, _abbil_."

"Regardless of what you think, I'm going to insist that you keep your mouth shut until we reach Imnesvale," Leah said, climbing out of the ditch, but refusing to help Viconia, the Drow wincing a little as she pulled herself up from the narrow trench. "If you will keep pestering me about this, I will go ride with Anomen and leave you to deal with this animal on your own."

"You... you would not dare," Viconia froze, actually looking a little frightened at that.

"Oh, I most certainly would," Leah grinned broadly. "Now, not a word out of you, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, fine... and that's the last time that I try to do something for your benefit, _wael_... that much I promise you," Viconia huffed as they both slowly and gingerly got back into the saddle.

"And that is perfectly fine with me," Leah replied smugly, then pretending to enjoy the silence of their ride the rest of the way towards Imnesvale... inwardly, however, Viconia's words were not that easy to shake off... even if she desperately wanted to do something to prove that the Drow had been wrong with her assumptions, a tiny voice persisted, urging Leah to stop lying to herself... and it was getting more and more difficult to silence that irritating inner voice.


	18. Chapter 18

Evening fell before the group of seven managed to reach Imnesvale, forcing them to break camp while they were still several hours away from the Umar Hills. Conveniently enough, they were able to use one of the several abandoned guard towers alongside the Trade Way, serving almost as a makeshift inn and they didn't even have to break out their tents. Nevertheless, guard shifts had still been assigned between the seven travelers, this region of Amn rather lawless and dangerous, Anomen in particular being loud and insistent with his warnings regarding the various orc and giant tribes that inhabited the mountain region.

Jaheira had handed out a supposedly potent salve to help with saddle sores to those not so experienced at horse riding, both Aerie and Viconia accepting it, though their reactions were rather different. Aerie could not stop thanking the half-elf, while Viconia hissed in annoyance as she snatched the offered salve from the hands of the druidess, stalking off to apply it away from the eyes of others. Leah had merely smirked at that before assigning the order of the guard watch, their numbers allowing them to keep the shifts mercifully short, which felt like a blessing because she certainly felt in dire need of sleep. As soon as Leah lowered her head on the bedroll, she was out cold almost immediately, the hard riding through the entire day making her extremely dozy.

When Leah woke up, she found herself sprawled on her bedroll, however, for some reason she felt as if the surroundings around her had changed. She vaguely recalled something about going to sleep in an old guard tower, but now she could see stars in the dark skies above her head, realizing that she was in a clearing of some sorts, the nearby fireplace still smoldering a little, but clearly not having been tended to by whoever was supposed to be on the guard shift. Intending to give someone hell about this negligence, Leah slowly disentangled herself from the blankets and rose, looking around carefully.

Just then, a muffled gasp-like noise suddenly broke the silence of the night, coming from somewhere behind the thicket surrounding the camp. Alarmed and puzzled, the young girl crept towards the source of the sound, failing to notice that there were two empty bedrolls at the campsite, instead of just one. Someone clearly seemed to be in distress, at least judging by the noises they were making, but Leah did not want to barge in unannounced if someone was upset and had snuck away in order to have a cry about something. The noises they were making did not sound like sobbing at all, though, and it only served to make Leah more curious, making her regret not having checked who was missing from the camp.

As she carefully parted the bushes to take a peek at the small glade behind the thicket, Leah immediately froze, petrified from the sight before her eyes, wave of intense heat smacking her in the face. She saw Jaheira, naked, the druidess sitting astride of her equally nude husband, her head thrown backwards, golden-brown locks of her hair swaying as she rolled her hips back and forth in a perfectly synchronized rhythm to meet her husband's deep thrusts.

Leah immediately tried to pull back into the thicket, but it seemed as if there was an invisible hand, grasping her by the shoulder and not allowing her to retreat, forcing her to watch on as Khalid slid his hands across his wife's stomach, the taut abdominal muscles rippling with effort, reaching up to her supple, firm breasts, cupping them and running the pads of his thumbs across the hard, dark brown nipples, making the druidess cry out before she caught herself and bit hard on the inside of her cheek, never slowing down the tenacious thrusts of her hips. There was something so mesmerizing about their lovemaking that Leah simply could not look away, she could not get enough of drinking in the blissful and strained expression of pure pleasure on Jaheira's face, her eyes hooded as beads of perspiration trickled from her brow and all over her beautiful copper-skinned body, glistening enchantingly in the moonlight.

 _I should not be watching this,_ Leah thought to herself, trying to close her eyes, but her body would not obey her, the heat rising in her center and spreading throughout her entire body, threatening to consume her, forcing Leah to keep her eyes open and watch the scene before her reach its crescendo. Jaheira slipped a hand between her legs, Leah able to see her wrist move in a frantic stroking motion, the movements of her hips becoming frenzied as she quickly pushed herself past the point of no return. To watch her beautiful body becoming rigid and then exploding in shivers of countless powerful contractions, to hear the helplessly suppressed moans tumbling from her mouth before she fell against her husband's chest, biting hard on the corded ring of muscle on his shoulder to muffle her cries... Leah had never witnessed anything more beautiful in her life, continuing to stare unashamedly, her hand reaching for the aching juncture of her legs, demanding some kind of relief and attention.

Suddenly, Jaheira reared her head, still panting a little, the golden-brown strands of her hair soaked with perspiration, her eyes still burning with intense passion as she stared directly at Leah, the girl having thought that she had managed to remain unnoticed. "Jealous, much?" the druidess drawled teasingly, rolling a little on her side and allowing Leah an amazing look at her powerful, sleek body. "Wouldn't you want to trade places?" she asked, chuckling.

"She w-would," Khalid added, also turning to look at Leah. "B-but not with you. Young Leah would w-want to be in m-my place..."

Sudden feelings of desperate shame and embarrassment exploded within Leah. She wanted to retreat and run away, but something was holding her chained in place, forcing her to face the knowing looks of the married couple, almost laughing at her as they basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking. She wanted to shout back at Khalid, to deny his accusations, but there was something within Leah stopping her again, something that was telling her that these accusations were not as baseless as she wanted them to be... or did she, really?

As she was still wrestling with her emotions and desires, desperately trying to forget just how divine the druidess had looked at the peak of her pleasure, the whole clearing before her began to fade in swirling mist, the scene disappearing from her view as Leah suddenly found herself lying on her back on the bedroll and staring at the partly leaky roof of the old guard tower where they had made their camp. _Dream,_ she realized with relief. _It was all a dream._

_Well... I suppose that would be a lie, though. Some of the things that appeared to me in that dream_ _**did** _ _actually occur..._

It had happened somewhere during their way to Nashkel, Leah one night waking up before her guard shift to discover that both Khalid and Jaheira had abandoned the camp. Too innocent and sheltered, she had not immediately realized why the half-elven couple had retreated, and when she had eventually managed to find them, Leah had been treated to the exact scene that had repeated in her dream, with the only difference that she had never been discovered. _Was it true what the Khalid in the dream said, did I really feel jealous and wanted to be in his place?_ she asked of herself.

At the time being, she had not been thinking about that at all, she was too busy being ashamed and embarrassed about having intruded upon something so private, having witnessed something to pure, intimate and beautiful. But now, the dream was making her recall the scene with a different perspective in mind. Had she truly harbored feelings of jealousy towards Khalid? She still did not think so, even if she had to admit that she was feeling a little envious of the druidess and her amazing body, defined by sleek muscles, but still soft, supple and curvy in all the right places. And while Leah felt perfectly happy with her own body, she did consider the druidess to be attractive, even beautiful, but it still did not mean that she was interested in Jaheira romantically, that she craved to be the one to caress that wonderfully glistening soft coppery skin until the druidess came undone in her arms.

 _Argh, by Milil, now I'm doing it to myself and making it all worse,_ Leah thought to herself, feeling extremely frustrated. _Fine, I'll admit to myself that I find Jaheira very attractive, but I don't want_ _ **that**_ _kind of relationship with her. She's my most trusted friend and guardian, for Milil's sake. The same goes for Viconia... just because she is so incredibly sexy, it does not mean that I want to get involved with someone like her... I trust her, sure, but... I'm not sure I would trust her_ _ **that**_ _much..._

 _By the gods, why is this so damned hard?_ Leah lamented silently, propelling herself from the bedroll on her elbows, looking around and then wincing a little as she realized that she was all covered in perspiration, feeling uncomfortably clammy and soaked in cold sweat.

"Dreams proving ugly again?" someone asked in a soft voice from the darkness, Leah instantly recognizing Viconia. "The heritage of your sire, no doubt?"

"Not this time, Viconia," Leah replied, instantly cursing herself. _And of course I had to wake up during her shift. Maybe I can talk her into going to sleep and take over instead... I don't think I'll be getting any sleep after this, anyway._

"Truly? From the way you were thrashing on your bedroll, I would have thought that Bhaal was trying to tempt you again," Viconia inquired curiously. "So, if you're not bothered by your dark heritage, what else has gotten you so worked up, hmm?"

"Nothing I'm interested in sharing," Leah said dismissively, rising from the bedroll. "I'm going to head outside for a bit," she spoke quietly, stepping around the sleeping forms of her companions. "Feel free to get some extra sleep, Viconia. I can take over from now on."

The Drow did not reply as Leah brushed past her and walked outside of the old tower, the structure in dire state of disrepair, but still sturdy enough to provide a good camping spot. However, right now, the cramped space felt oppressive and restrictive, and Leah wanted nothing else than to escape it, at least for a brief while. She sat down on an overturned stone slab near the entrance to the tower, probably once used by the idle tower guards to play games of chance on warm summer days, and listened to the occasional whinny from their horses in the half collapsed shed nearby. Leah sighed deeply at the turmoil still tormenting her senses, already knowing that it would be very difficult to try and rationalize all these conflicting feelings away, it was becoming an almost insurmountable challenge as of late.

And as if intent to make Leah's task even more difficult, the young priestess suddenly sensed the presence of another, Viconia's dark shape perching on the edge of the stone slab, just sitting there for the time being, not saying anything. "I told you to get back to sleep, Viconia," Leah reminded her eventually, though not unkindly.

"I believe that should be my decision whether I choose to do so," the Drow replied simply.

"Fine, have it your way," Leah shrugged, knowing that trying to persuade Viconia to do something if she had already made her decision was a lost cause. "How are the saddle sores, by the way?"

Leah smiled, seeing the slightly irritated, pained wince on Viconia's face in the weak moonlight. "Don't tell that mongrel I said anything, but her salve certainly helped a great deal," the Drow grumbled. "It did not do much for the way I hurt my back in that accident of your making, but a simple healing spell has made it bearable."

"Accident of my making, huh? Still prattling on about that, are you?" Leah huffed, unable to ignore the baiting. Usually she would have been able to patiently dismiss this kind of comment, but lately her emotions were on edge and she was so easily irritated that it made Leah feel ashamed about her lack of control.

"Listen to me now, _abbil_ , for I am going to say this only once," Viconia spoke up in an unusually stern voice, one that was more befitting of Jaheira. "Shar be my witness, I would not care about your raging emotions if you would not be the leader of this group. With the tasks ahead of us, and with you having to cope with the struggles of your heritage, these added distractions could prove disastrous... and I would rather not see myself getting killed when you make yet another decision in poor judgment."

Leah bit down on the inside of her cheek, forcing down an angry retort that would have only proved Viconia correct in her claim that Leah was not exactly emotionally sound and stable right now. "And what sort of advice would you have for me, oh wise one?" she asked, a little mockingly.

"I would simply tell you to deal with it," Viconia shrugged. "Get it out of your system. Do you really need me to tell you how to do that?"

"I... uh... what exactly are you saying?" Leah was glad that Viconia could not see her face become crimson red, burning from embarrassment.

"Well, I don't suppose that the peasant girls in this mountain village we're heading to would interest you, but surely there might be some comely face in this city of Trademeet?" Viconia mused. "I could even help you with all the arrangements and get her to your room... just don't ask me to hand-walk you through the rest."

"Surely you jest," Leah felt a little shocked at Viconia's proffered solution. "You should know me well enough to understand that I could never do something like that..."

"By Shar, you really are quite hopeless, aren't you?" Viconia sighed. "Maybe I should consider doing everything my-... no, I don't think..." she suddenly fell silent, Leah's brow furrowing with frustration and incomprehension at what the Drow had meant to say.

"What was that?" Leah pressed after Viconia had remained silent.

"Nothing," Viconia shrugged. "Merely a foolish thought. Dismiss it."

More silence passed, though it didn't seem altogether comfortable for them both. "Viconia?" Leah finally spoke up, having gathered her courage. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, little _jalil_ ," Viconia replied, more kindly.

"The... thing you accused me of..." Leah began hesitantly. "Well, you know... you said it is nothing to be ashamed of... so I was wondering. In the Underdark, is it common and accepted?"

"The issue is... complicated, as I understand it is on the surface, but for completely different reasons," Viconia explained emotionlessly. "The tenets of Lolth insist that every female's holy duty is to have as many children as possible, but the same tenets say nothing that would directly forbid taking a partner of your own sex. I would imagine that nearly all Drow end up experiencing pleasures of the flesh with someone of their own gender throughout their lives. But for a female to have strong preference for her own gender and such strong revulsion towards males that she would not be able to sire any children? That would not sit well with the Handmaidens."

"Harsh," Leah winced. She could not help but to suddenly wonder whether Viconia had any children of her own. She had not even imagined it possible until her friend had mentioned these details of the Drow society, but Viconia seemed to be of the age where she could have had several children. Still, it just didn't feel polite to ask such a personal question, not to mention that Leah was more interested in learning something else. "So... does that mean you have had partners of both genders before?"

"Ah, I was wondering if you'll get around to that, _jalil_ ," Viconia chuckled. "And the answer is yes, of course I have. I'll tell you more, because I have no doubt that you are interested, and don't even think of denying it." Leah made absolutely no reaction at that, sitting tensely in the dark and allowing Viconia to speak. "I have no preference for either gender, if that is what you wanted to know. I was expected to claim males as my possessions, and I did so. But now and then, I also claimed a female lover... or was claimed by someone above my stature."

"So, if your goddess and the entire society expected you to take on male lovers, would I be wrong to assume that when you chose female partners it was because you were genuinely attracted to them?" Leah asked carefully.

"A very optimistic _rivvin_ outlook on things, as I expected," Viconia laughed darkly. "I'm afraid that I will have to disappoint you. The foolish emotion you call love does not exist in the Underdark. There is nothing gentle or caring in the relationship between two Drow females, Leah, there is only a clearly dominant partner, usually as a result of a lost power struggle. Occasionally, we chose not to sacrifice the weaker priestesses whose schemes had backfired. Sometimes their punishment was to be cast in a submissive role where they would be sexually used, degraded and humiliated by those stronger than them."

"And... you've taken on female lovers to torment them like that?" Leah gasped quietly.

"A few, yes. It was most entertaining to break their proud spirit and watch them plead and beg me as I had my way with them," Viconia smirked. "But... I have been on the losing side a few times as well. I suppose that it was preferable to death..."

"Well, I'm certainly glad that you managed to survived those ordeals... though I regret that you had to endure all of that," Leah sighed. "Really, Viccy, for the way you rage at us stupid surfacers, I fail to see much that would be superior about the Drow culture."

"That's because as a surfacer you are simply not wise enough to recognize it," Viconia shrugged.

"So why did you leave then if it was so great?" Leah prodded.

Viconia fell silent for a long while then, eventually rising from the stone slab she had been sitting upon. "Another story for another time, little _jalil_ ," she said, stretching her limbs before turning around and walking back to the tower. "Right now, I feel like taking you up on that offer to take over my watch..."

"Sweet dreams, Viconia," Leah called after her, then sighing deeply again as the Drow finally disappeared inside. She had learned much interesting from her talk with Viconia... but despite it all, she felt as confused and uncertain as ever before...

* * *

Their arrival at the small village of Imnesvale coincided with a rather illuminating town gathering conducted near a little fountain in front of the local inn. The mayor of the city, a portly man who referred to himself as Minister Lloyd, was taking a lot of heat from the locals about not doing anything at all to solve the gruesome murders that were plaguing the countryside. And the locals certainly had no shortage of theories of who was behind all these killings and disappearances, some kind of murderer sneaking into the village and tearing apart innocent people. To further confound everyone, the bodies of those killed somehow disappeared the day after, something that nobody seemed able to explain.

After simply standing aside for a while, in the shade of the trees, listening in on all the ranting, accusations and wild theories thrown around during the gathering, it seemed that the local community were split evenly in support of three most popular theories. One of them centered on the culprits being a particularly ferocious pack of wolves that had come down from the hills to prey on the helpless villagers. This seemed like a bit of a stretch to Leah, as such behavior was simply not natural for wolves as Jaheira and Minsc both pointed out immediately. Not to mention that it did not explain why the bodies of those killed would simply... vanish on the following day. Certainly, there was a possibility that someone was controlling the pack of wolves, as the disappearing corpses implied some sort of dark magic at work... but still, Leah thought that simply blaming the wolves was too simplistic an explanation.

And there was another theory that at least accounted for the dark magic being at work, some villagers blaming a witch that had returned to the village in order to exact horrible revenge upon them all. However, the theory became a little less sound after Leah had listened to the fat innkeeper named Vincenzo who seemed to be the loudest supporter of this particular explanation. According to Vincenzo, it was the ancient witch Umar, a legendary sorceress after which the mountain range had been named, and who had lived and died five hundred years ago, who had somehow risen from her grave to return to her evil ways. Of course, Leah had read a lot about liches and it was theoretically possible that this Umar had simply laid dormant for five hundred years, having turned herself into a lich, but then again, slipping into the village to tear apart some peasant and then snatch their body a day later did not seem to fit with what Leah knew about liches.

The last theory appeared to be the most reasonable and seemed to be supported by the majority and the mayor himself. Some time ago, a pack of various humanoid creatures including ogres and gnolls had moved into the area, claiming to have defected from their tribes, currently laying siege to the coastal city of Murann further south. And even though the monstrous creatures had insisted that they simply wanted to be left alone and live in peace, Leah remembered having suffered from half-ogre mages in the past, and while she disliked jumping to hasty conclusions, the young priestess decided that this was the most promising path which she wanted to explore first and foremost, the others mostly being in agreement with her.

Following the end of the rather heated town gathering, Leah and her group had followed Minister Lloyd to his home, one of the few more impressive houses that made up the center of the small village, most of the population living scattered in their farmsteads across the mountain valley, which obviously made protecting the village or anticipating the next strike incredibly difficult. The portly mayor was ecstatic beyond belief that a well-armed group of adventurers had answered the call to help in dealing with the problems that plagued Imnesvale, though he was not quite as excited about promising the kind of reward that Leah had been looking forward to. Still, now that they had made the long journey, turning down the task seemed completely unreasonable, and besides Leah was quite certain that most of her friends would disapprove loudly if she suddenly decided to leave the villagers to their gruesome fates.

The mayor was able to share more helpful and interesting information, such as the fact that the bodies of the slain had all been mutilated in the same manner, as if turned inside out, which definitely ruled out a regular pack of wolves as far as Leah was concerned. Ritual murders or some kind of dark magic was definitely at work here. The local ranger, Merella, had been investigating the murders, but the half-elven woman had informed Lloyd that she would be busy with some kind of personal errand, having to help out an old friend, urging Lloyd to in the meanwhile seek out help from mercenaries for hire. Lloyd had actually succeeded in acquiring the services of the famous adventuring troupe of one Mazzy Fentan, the Minister looking shocked when Leah proclaimed to have never heard of the famous halfling knight, Anomen for some reason scowling darkly at the glorious praise that Lloyd was heaping upon this Fentan lass.

In any case, as per Merella's advice, Lloyd had directed this Mazzy Fentan to her cabin, the village ranger promising to leave instructions of where the halfling knight and her troupe should conduct their search. Mazzy had departed over a tenday ago and Lloyd had never heard back from her group or from the half-elven ranger, starting to grow desperate. Merella's cabin was located several miles away southeast from the village and nobody had dared to make the journey to check up on her, too frightened by the recent murders. Minister Lloyd strongly advised Leah to begin her investigation by checking in with Merella, by which point the mayor's wife, Eina, butted into the conversation to declare that it should be perfectly clear to everyone with at least some common sense that it was the deserting ogres doing all the killing, and Lloyd had meekly agreed with his equally plump better half, suggesting that Leah should speak with the leader of these ogres, a fellow named Madulf.

With these leads in mind, Leah led her group outside of the mayor's house, and her thus far mostly silent and well-behaved pack of friends immediately erupted into an excited exchange of their own theories as to what sort of terror was plaguing Imnesvale.

"Wolves, and witches, and ogres, oh my!" Minsc bellowed, looking more confused than usual. "There are too many backsides of Evil to apply the Boot of Righteousness to, and Minsc does not even know where to begin! Even Boo is confused! Look at the way his whiskers twitch with indecision!" The large ranger raised the surly looking hamster up to his ear and pretended to be listening for a while. "But Boo is certain of this nasty old witch being the one responsible... Boo says we should line up her bony backside for the pummeling it deserves!"

"I... I agree with Minsc. And Boo, of course," Aerie added with a shy smile, as if almost being too scared to speak up. "This... does seem like the work of dark magic... that powerful witches would be capable of..."

"'Tis the work of the ogres, my lady, and you know it," Anomen said, looking at Leah confidently. "I have had my fair share of scuffles with their evil kin, enough to know that they are never to be trusted. We need not bother with chasing wolves or looking into this nonsense of ancient witches... let us simply drive those evil ogres out of the village and be done with it. No good can come from their presence here, we would be doing these townsfolk a huge favor."

Leah didn't feel quite as confident about Anomen's proposal, frowning a little as Nalia spoke up. "Some of those ogres are powerful mages who might be well capable of doing something like this," the redhead spoke, echoing one of Leah's theories. "It is a possibility we should not ignore."

"And we also should not stand around idly and exchange wild guesses," Jaheira snorted, looking a little annoyed. "The mayor gave us a lead. It is about time we acted upon it."

"I couldn't care less about what you decide, as long as we get to do something instead of standing around," Viconia shrugged, feeling Leah's eyes settle upon her in search for an input.

Leah spent a few moments before quickly deciding on the next course of action. She had initially thought about splitting the group up and sending some of them to speak with these ogre deserters, while she led another group to Merella's cabin. But since some of them, namely Anomen, were so heavily predisposed to treating Madulf and his people as the guilty party, Leah did not feel as if she could trust Anomen with this task, fearing that sending him to talk with the ogres would only result in violence. Besides, she wanted to be present at both places herself, Merella's cabin and Madulf's camp, not to mention that the evening was fast approaching and she realized that traveling together as a group would most definitely be safer, especially when they still didn't know what they were dealing with.

"Very well, in that case, let's take a stroll through this beautiful valley and see if we can find Merella's cabin," Leah grinned, rubbing her hands in excitement, as always feeling a little elated when being on a proper paying task once again. "And after that... we'll go have a little chat with Mr. Madulf..."

* * *

"By Mielikki, Valygar..." an attractive half-elven female gasped, her hands gripping the headboard of her bed. "Don't stop... by the goddess, just don't stop..."

Fortunately for Merella, the dark-skinned ranger behind her showed absolutely no intent of stopping, continuing to thrust into her from behind, one measured stroke after another, sweat dripping down his brow and seeping into his eyes from the effort of lovemaking. His hands roamed all over her damp, smooth back, slipping lower to seize her swaying breasts, pinching her hard nipples as Merella threw her head back and cried out in helpless pleasure, thrusting her own hips to meet Valygar's, desperate to take him as deep as she could.

However, just as Merella felt the burning heat between her legs becoming too much, Valygar suddenly stopped his movements, much to her incredible frustration. "Did you hear that?" the dark-skinned ranger asked quietly.

"What?" Merella panted weakly. "I didn't hear anything..." That much was true, she was so dazed by her nearly cresting pleasure that she had heard only her own desperate moans.

"I thought I heard a creaking noise... like someone opening the front door," Valygar said, still refusing to move.

"It was probably just the bed creaking," Merella sighed, feeling deeply frustrated at the fullness between her legs, the delightful stretch which failed to give her any relief now that Valygar had ceased his thrusts. "Come now, you're worrying over nothing, Valygar... those Wizards won't find you here, I made sure of it... I completely threw them off the track, remember?" she added, then grinding her hips against Valygar's, eliciting a light groan from her lover and urging him to start moving again.

"I guess I'm just a little on edge," Valygar grunted, still not looking completely reassured, trying to overhear something, but the beautiful half-elf pressing against him so delightfully finally broke his concentration.

"By Mielikki, Valygar, unless you give me what I need, I will... I will..." Merella panted, grinding against her lover with increasing urgency. "I will hand you over to the Wizards myself!"

"You wouldn't do that," Valygar managed, finally taking pity on the beautiful half-elven ranger and picking up his thrusts again, quickly reducing his lover to a shuddering mass of moans and whimpers. Merella was tethering on the edge of her release, thrashing and groaning as she arched in the bed, about to dissolve in the utter bliss of her pleasure and Valygar decided to finally give her the release that she was aching for, sliding his hand between her legs, flicking the pad of his thumb over the throbbing, stiff bud above her entrance. A litany of swearwords tumbled from the half-elven ranger's lips as the pleasure became too much for her to endure and she fell over the edge of her climax, her body shivering with contractions as she grew rigid, grinding frantically against Valygar's hips as she rode through the delightful aftershocks.

With Merella's inner muscles clenching down hard on him, Valygar pulled out of his lover's clinging, tight heat before he himself also fell over the edge of pleasure, slipping his fingers inside Merella when the half-elf cried out at the sudden loss. Despite Merella's assurances of having taken precautions, Valygar was determined not to take risks by accidentally passing down his accursed bloodline, even if it meant denying himself. However, it seemed that Merella did not agree with the notion that he deserved only denial, panting and still shivering from the overwhelming ecstasy, the half-elf swirled around and pushed him down on the bed, burying her head between his legs. With disbelief, he felt her deft fingers wrapping around his straining arousal, starting a merciless stroking motion as he felt her warm lips wrapping around him, taking him deep inside as she quickly pushed him over the edge as well and with a heavy grunt Valygar felt Merella's warm mouth gratefully accepting his release.

Lost in their shared pleasure, the couple sprawled on the bed in a tender, tired embrace, neither of them noticing the doorknob of Merella's bedroom slowly turning as the doors gradually opened, a dark shape slowly entering...


	19. Chapter 19

"Do you think they will be done soon?" Leah whispered quietly, standing in the large main hall of Merella's ranger cabin, forced to listen to the rather unambiguous noises of lovemaking coming from behind one of the doors. Jaheira merely rolled her eyes in reply, Viconia and Anomen standing a little to the side, Minsc, Aerie and Nalia having remained outside to watch for any surprises sneaking up on them, now that the darkness of the evening had arrived.

"My Lady, I must point out that it is most discourteous for us to remain here," Anomen protested, equally quietly.

"Of course, Anomen, how thoughtless of me not to consider your sensibilities," Leah offered a quick apology. "Please, wait for us outside."

Anomen blinked slowly, his mouth opening as if he was about to say something but apparently couldn't think of anything, then actually turning around and walking out of the ranger cabin. "That was... an interesting way of handling things," Jaheira remarked, looking a little surprised at Leah's actions.

"I enjoyed the look on his face," Viconia chuckled at herself.

"Well, what was I supposed to say?" Leah shrugged, then wincing and blushing as the litany of moans from the bedchamber suddenly grew in volume, reaching their crescendo and then finally beginning to ease off.

"I think this is our cue," Viconia said decisively, striding up to the door and ignoring Leah's pleas to wait for a little bit more. Her entrance into the bedchamber caused quite a reaction from the naked couple sprawled on the sheets, the man jumping up from the bed while at the same time trying to wrap himself into a sheet as he reached out for his weapon, in the end failing to accomplish anything, the dark-skinned male tripping and flailing comically as he fell. The woman let out a strangled cry, a very fetching half-elf trying to cover herself with a pillow and barely succeeding.

"Viconia, you really should not be the one to enter and create a false first impression of this being a Drow raid to the surface," Leah chided gently, following her friend into the room, Jaheira bringing up the procession. "Evening, you must be Merella," she added, looking at the shocked and wide-eyed half-elf.

"I.. y-yes, but... who are you?" the ranger-protector of the Umar Hills blinked at them. "And on that matter, why the hell are you barging into my cabin unannounced?"

"Lloyd sent us," Leah explained quickly. "He hasn't received a word from either you or the adventurers he hired, so he sent us here to investigate."

"Does the mean that Lady Fentan has failed?" Merella paled a little bit. "By Mielikki, I hoped that her group would prove capable of prevailing against the evil that permeates these woods."

"Is that not something that you should have assisted with?" Jaheira asked, giving the other half-elf a piercing stare. "As I understand you are the local ranger, yet we find you here, entertaining... your male company."

"I... this is not what it appears," Merella's cheeks colored at the accusation. "Please... allow us to get dressed and I will explain everything. Please?"

"Very well," Leah nodded, leading her friends out of the bedchamber. While they were waiting for Merella and her friend to get dressed, Jaheira walked up to the main entrance and called out for Anomen, Minsc and the ladies to join them inside so that they could also listen to Merella's hopefully satisfying explanations about what exactly was going on here in the Umar Hills.

"I, umm, have no doubt that you have many questions," Merella still looked a little startled as she finally reappeared from the bedroom, dressed in an exquisite set of studded leathers. The man following her had a stoic, indifferent expression on his face, certainly keeping a better hold on not letting his emotions show compared to his female companion. "Let me tell you everything from the start. Even before I learned about the townspeople getting slaughtered, I had spotted dark creatures roaming the nearby forests. I often caught sight of them during my nightly patrols."

"But it can't be the wolves," Nalia gave the ranger a disbelieving frown. "Wolves don't steal bodies!"

"I never said they were wolves," Merella nodded. "Perhaps I should have said wolf-like creatures. I know the local pack of wolves and I have spoken with them often, and they have always been cordial to me, but now... now these creatures will either flee from me or... it almost felt as if they were stalking me, waiting for me to lower my guard. It felt as if the local pack of wolves is... controlled by something... or someone. They act like wolves with the cunning of men."

"You suspect foul magic?" Jaheira asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Perhaps it is the work of that Cowled Wizard in the village?" the dark-skinned man next to Merella spoke up in a gruff voice. "Their kind cannot be trusted."

"It simply does not feel like the usual approach of the Cowled Ones," Merella shrugged. "No, I think it is something... more ancient, more sinister..."

"Perhaps it really is the Umar Witch," Aerie spoke up, hoping to be proven right, but then looking disappointed when nobody moved to support her theory.

"I understand that you provided this... Mazzy with a set of directions?" Leah asked then. "Directions to what?"

"Directions to the lair of the wolf pack who roamed the area north of here," Merella replied. "Something had affected, changed them, and I believed that even if it might not provide all the answers, it would be a good place where to begin their search. But if Lady Fentan has not returned from her journey... then I feel I have sent them in grave danger that might have proven to be too much for her group."

"Why did you not accompany them?" Jaheira asked.

"Because I was busy helping a friend escape from certain death," Merella snapped back heatedly. "Of course, now that this other matter is resolved, if it is your intent to hunt down the source of this evil, then I will gladly accompany you and guide you to the lair of these wolves."

"She was helping me escape those who are hunting me," the gruff male at Merella's side huffed. "Do not blame her for not assisting these adventurers, if anything, the fault should rest with me for interfering with her duties by calling up on an old... friendship."

"Really, Valygar, there is no need to apologize," Merella smiled gratefully at the man while Leah and Jaheira exchanged quick glances, both turning to stare at the man intently.

"Lord Valygar Corthala?" Leah asked casually, noting that the man really did not resemble a noble at all. The tone of his skin implied some mixed ancestry somewhere down the bloodline, perhaps Turmish, or even Chultan, but it was certainly not purely Amnish.

"Who wants to know?" Valygar replied, appearing alarmed as he reached out for his weapon. "Are you in league with the Cowled Wizards?"

"I won't deny that we've been hired by the Cowled Wizards to bring back Valygar Corthala, dead or alive," Leah spoke evenly, feeling the palpable tension in the air as the dark-skinned noble stared back at her, probably debating whether to attack them or not. Fortunately, nobody from her group, not even Minsc, had moved a muscle, everyone watching her and waiting for a sign before springing into action. "However, there was something about their offer that made me... uneasy. As if I was not being told the entire truth. My intent was to find out this Lord Corthala and see what he has to say for himself. So... I will ask again... are you Valygar Corthala?"

"Yes, that would be me," Valygar finally admitted, relaxing a little. "And if you want to know more, well... do I have a story for you," he added, smirking. "You see, a planar sphere appeared in the slums of Athkatla weeks ago. My ancestor, the necromancer Lavok, built the sphere as a some sort of planar traveling device."

"Seems like some kind of very advanced magic," Leah said, giving Nalia a scrutinizing stare.

"I agree," the young woman nodded back at her. "And something that the Cowled Wizards would no doubt be interested in."

"Quite. Lavok disappeared with the sphere over five centuries ago. He has not been seen again until now," Valygar explained, making several dramatic pauses as he spoke. "I have no desire to meet my ancestor, and even less desire to help the Cowled Wizards, who seem certain that my body is the only key to the sphere... alive or no."

"Well, that explains their odd demand to retrieve the body," Jaheira stated thoughtfully.

"Indeed it does," Leah nodded, then turning back to Valygar. "So, do you think that your ancestor might still be alive? I noticed that you mentioned him being a necromancer... I suppose that could explain it."

"Yes, and for all we know, time may work differently when travelling the planes," Valygar said. "As for his immortality... my ancestor has extended his life before... but that is a different story." He coughed a little uncomfortably before speaking up again. "I am the last of the Corthala line. That may mean little to you, but it means plenty to Lavok. When he left Athkatla in the sphere, he was already many centuries old. Lavok extended his life by stealing the bodies of blood relations. If he yet lives, you can imagine my concern. This is also probably why my blood would allow entrance into the sphere."

"That is amazing... uh, amazingly powerful magic," Nalia corrected herself with a slight blush on her cheeks as everyone turned to give her an odd stare.

"That was the kind of comment I would have expected from Edwin, really," Leah muttered under hear breath, focusing her attention back on Valygar. "Lord Corthala, I am in a difficult position. I do not wish you ill, you seem to be the victim of circumstances in this situation, but unfortunately, the Cowled Wizards hold someone I care greatly for as their prisoner. Do you see my predicament?"

"Yes, I do," Valygar acknowledged. "But nobody knows that we have met. You could simply carry on, forgetting that we have ever come across each other."

"Well... I suppose that is true," Leah mused thoughtfully. "Much as we are in need of the reward offered by the Cowled Wizards in order to rescue Imoen, she would not approve of me killing innocent people to secure her freedom."

"I hope you won't let ridiculous morals stand in your way in case I end up behind bars," Viconia muttered next to her.

"Aww, but Vic, we already killed a lot of people to save you once," Leah whispered back to her with a grin. "And we'd do it again, too."

"Hmm, well if you are interested in riches..." Valygar suddenly seemed to think of something. "We could return to the city and enter the sphere together. I'm sure that Lavok has acquired plenty of wealth in all these centuries. This way, I would also know whether he still lives, and if he does, we could exterminate his ghoulish existence once and for all. We would have to be careful to avoid the agents of the wizards, but I would prefer this solution instead of allowing the sphere and its treasures to fall into the hands of the wizards."

"Well... you bring up a good point, though the whole venture would undoubtedly be very risky," Leah replied, a little uncertainly.

"Great risks promise great rewards, Leah," Nalia cut in, looking very curious, no doubt intrigued by the magical secrets that the sphere would likely contain. Next to her, Aerie looked more alarmed than intrigued.

"Boo says that this Lavok is in dire need of having his necromantic butt kicked," Minsc decided. "Besides, there would be great honor in helping a fellow woodsman!"

"Well, I guess that's decided then, we're going to follow the dangerously noble path and help you, Valygar," Leah chuckled, shaking her head as if not believing that she had allowed herself to get roped into something so potentially dangerous. This Lavok would undoubtedly be a mage of powers comparable to Irenicus himself, should the old necromancer prove to still be alive. "However, we can't simply place all our other tasks on hold and rush back to Athkatla. I hope that a small delay will be acceptable."

"Of course," Valygar nodded. "Perhaps I could travel with you until then?"

"Umm... I'm not sure we should take the risk of being seen together by the Cowled Wizard agents until we are ready to enter the sphere," Leah shrugged. "I would rather have you continue hiding until then."

"I agree with..." Merella began, looking up at the young Sorlyn.

"Leah," she spoke up quickly.

"I agree with Leah," Merella smiled at her. "The Cowled Ones have eyes everywhere, even here in Imnesvale. A wizard by the name of Jermien lives in the village together with his daughter Collette. This Jermien has several villagers looking for Valygar on his behalf, including Daar, the foolish suitor of Jermien's daughter. After leading them in circles for days, I eventually sent them on a false trail and they're probably halfway to Murann right now... which gave Valygar and me some time to breathe."

"And you took excellent advantage of it," Viconia commented, making the two rangers blush deeply.

"So I should just sit here in the cabin all the time while you're chasing down those shadow wolves?" Valygar grumbled.

"Oh, don't fret, it could be worse," Merella sighed at him. "Although... there is always the danger that someone might come looking for me and find you here, which would be difficult to explain."

"I believe I might have a solution," Nalia spoke up at that. "You could travel to my family's keep and stay there until we have completed all our tasks. Then we could reunite again at the D'Arnise Keep and travel to Athkatla together. I will write a message to Captain Arat to make sure that you would be allowed entrance and treated like a guest."

"Thank you... Lady D'Arnise?" Valygar ventured a guess, smiling briefly at Nalia's nod. "I believe that is an acceptable solution."

"Indeed, excellent idea, Nalia," Leah smiled at the young mage, beaming happily from the praise. "Will you be ready to head out to the lair of the wolves first thing in the morning, Merella?" she asked of the ranger.

"Of course, Leah," came the prompt reply.

"And I will depart to the D'Arnise Keep early tomorrow morning," Valygar nodded.

"I will prepare the message for the captain by then," Nalia smiled at the dark-skinned ranger.

"Well, it seems as if everything has been settled," Leah said, rising from her seat, her companions following her example. "With that said, we won't disturb you any longer and will instead return to rent some rooms at the local inn. Enjoy the rest of the evening, my friends," she added with a slight, innocent wink that made Merella blush again while Valygar simply ignored the remark.

"My Lady, are you certain that we should dismiss the concerns about those ogres so casually?" Anomen spoke up as soon as they had left the ranger cabin. "Certainly, I would not question the word of the ranger-protector, but what if she is mistaken about these... wolves?"

"Don't worry, Anomen," Leah replied with a smile. "I had planned to take a little detour to Madulf's camp anyway. Even if I doubt that they are responsible for what is happening here, it certainly won't hurt to learn more about their intentions here. Just to reassure the villagers. Besides," she added, looking around, the mountains now sinking in almost complete darkness, only scant light falling from the windows of the ranger cabin. "It looks like a lovely night outside... just perfect for a little walk..."

* * *

The walk from Merella's cabin to Madulf's camp took them a little over an hour, lazy and uneventful walk through the well maintained mountain paths, Nalia and Aerie illuminating the way with mage lights. The beautiful, pastoral landscape surrounding them for some reason did not put Leah's mind at ease, though. Perhaps it was the knowledge that a murderous pack of strange wolf-like creatures were prowling around, preying on the villagers, but there certainly was palpable tension surrounding the entire group, a strange sense of foreboding permeating the air. At one point during their walk, when they were tackling a rather steep uphill climb, Leah had heard something that vaguely resembled a howl, and as she had turned to look at the valley below, she thought that she could see several pairs of glowing red eyes staring up at her. She had quickly asked Nalia and Aerie to extinguish the mage lights, but if there had been something down in the valley, they did not reveal themselves again. Viconia had laughed at her and mocked her for being easily spooked, but nobody else had joined the Drow, everyone behaving as if the spooky surroundings were getting to them a little.

A large lit bonfire on a rocky bank of a bubbling brook guided them straight to Madulf's camp. Straight away, Leah saw that referring to this colorful group as 'ogres' had been a gross oversimplification. Certainly, Madulf himself was an ogre, and there was at least one other of his kind, but Leah could see gnolls and orcs as well as a sole minotaur. Understandably, the creatures were rather alarmed when seeing seven well armed adventurers striding into their camp.

"Hold!" one of the ogres, likely Madulf himself, stepped forth to address them. "You'se a human, but you'se not of human village! Why you come? What you'se wanting?"

"Allow me, my Lady. I have vast experience in dealing with ogres and their kin," Anomen quickly cut in and took to the front of the group before Leah could utter a single word. "State your intent here, vile creatures, and make it quick! You're the ones killing the people in the village, are you not?" he bellowed in his best commanding knightly voice.

"We no kill no humans in village!" the ogre protested, clearly unwilling to fight them. "We no want trouble with you'se!"

"Why should we believe you, filthy creatures? I know your kin, deceitful and evil to the bone!" Anomen was clearly getting into his role. "We should chase you out of the village and put a stop to your atrocities! The villagers do not deserve to suffer living in fear from the threat of evil ogres and their minions!"

"Err, Anomen?" Leah finally pushed herself through the row of her companions to stand next to the Helmite at the front, giving him a harsh glare. "We're not going to chase these creatures away from the village."

"My Lady?" Anomen looked unpleasantly surprised. "Are you certain? Can we really trust these honorless deserters?"

"I don't know yet, which is why I said that we're going to **talk** with them," Leah sighed. "Now, please, Anomen, be silent. I want to listen to what the nice ogre has to say for himself," she added, smiling at Madulf who looked relieved about no longer being accused.

"Always Madulf and fellows be chased and hated 'cause me an ogre!" Madulf sighed, giving Anomen a dirty stare, the squire bristling with annoyance next to Leah. "We just wants to be left alone. We come here one moon ago, tries to settle for a while, yes? Soon after we come, fellows begin to vanish. One, two, they go. Some turn up killed... skin missing. Some bodies vanish, too. Madulf no know who killing us. Madulf worries... numbers get smaller. We like here, but something bad is here, too, killing us fellows. Very bad."

"Something is killing the ogres as well!" Aerie gasped. "This is horrible!"

"They could be lying to throw us off the track," Anomen refused to budge. "Perhaps they are the ones controlling those wolf-like creatures that Merella told us about."

"Don't be a complete _iblith_ ," Viconia snapped with irritation. "Do these _phindar_ look like someone who could concoct such a complicated plan, never mind possess magic powerful enough to control these creatures?"

"Viconia is right, Anomen. The ogres are not behind this, no matter how much you want them to be the ones responsible," Leah said decisively, then looking back at Madulf. "So, you really haven't seen anything at all that could help us find these murderers?"

"Madulf no see anything," the ogre shook his massive shoulders sadly. "Maybe wolves? Maybe bad magics. Nobody see what kills fellows. Comes at night, though... maybe is the shadows."

"Alright... it's a shame that you don't know more, but well, nothing to be done about that," Leah shrugged. "We'll leave you alone now. And we'll tell the villagers that they don't need to fear you."

"Oh... wait!" Madulf exclaimed as Leah turned around to lead her group away. "Maybe... you bring word to human village? A word... an offer? Madulf just want peace... you tell villagers, maybe, that Madulf and fellows will protect village..."

"You can't even protect your own people, ogre," Anomen barked at Madulf.

"Not from the evil of the night..." Madulf admitted sadly. "But can protect from orcs of the mountains! Maybe humans in village let us come, once in a moon, to trade for food and goods? Madulf make deal with village, if you'se tell them... we no want trouble."

"That actually sounds like an excellent idea," Leah said, shoving Anomen in the back a little roughly when it seemed that the squire was about to add something. "I'll make sure to speak to Minister Lloyd about it first thing in the morning!"

"Madulf happy... maybe fellows can live alone and eat good, be happy here," the ogre sighed dreamily as Leah and her friends finally turned around to head back towards the small center of the village, reaching it after a short walk of less than a quarter of an hour, a walk that also involved crossing several shallow brooks. Nobody really felt like saying anything, the hour was getting very late and after hard travel on the horseback through the first half of the day, everyone looked like they were already thinking wistfully about the inn and the warm beds they were going to rent there. Anomen seemed to be the only exception, walking at the back of the group and looking dejected and a little ashamed.

The windows of Lloyd's house were sinking in darkness, so Leah was forced to delay their talk until the next morning, as she had promised Madulf. With nothing else to do other than to enter the inn and sort out their accommodations, Leah was about to follow the others inside when suddenly someone took her hand, stopping her.

"My Lady, could I please have a moment of your time?" Anomen asked her in a humble voice.

"Yes, Anomen, of course," she replied more kindly now, turning to stop Jaheira before the druidess had entered as well. "Jaheira, would you please take care of the rooms while I speak with Anomen?" The druidess simply nodded curtly and disappeared inside. "Well, Anomen, what is it that you wish to tell me?"

"My lady... I feel most terrible about my burst of temper earlier," Anomen spoke sincerely and apologetically. "Would... would you allow me the opportunity to apologize and try to explain?"

"Of course, Anomen," Leah said encouragingly.

"I am most thankful, Leah," Anomen began. "Sometimes, you see... my zeal for justice and valor can become too much. There is an anger in my heart that I... cannot seem to control. I see injustices everywhere, my Lady, and... and I wish to do nothing but to strike out against them. But even when I do... I keep on striking out... the hate and anger only grows... When I confronted those ogres, I became angry because I wanted them to be evil and wicked, but then... I think my anger turned towards my own inability to... to be as good and lawful as I might wish to be. I am sorry, my Lady, truly I am. I am unworthy of my vows."

"So you made an erroneous judgment, it happens to everyone, myself included. I don't think it means that you are unworthy," Leah shrugged. "You seem to know your own strengths and your weakness, you just need to strive harder to work on those weaknesses... such as exercising more patience and self-control."

"I suppose you are correct, my lady," Anomen admitted guiltily. "I must... struggle... to continue my battle against evil. And I must struggle to achieve this contentment that others speak of. Perhaps a time will come when such a thing will come naturally to me, I do not know. The Test will be the final arbiter of it."

"I'm sure that you will be rewarded if you only continue to persevere and work hard," Leah smiled encouragingly. "Shall we head inside? It is getting a little chilly out here. The nights are cold up here in the mountains."

"True enough, my Lady," Anomen nodded, gallantly opening the doors for her.

Inside, the inn was still fairly stuffed with patrons, enjoying a pint of ale while busily discussing the latest news, everything revolving around the mysterious murders, of course. Leah spotted her companions standing at the bottom of the stairs, arguing about something, Jaheira rubbing her temples and looking like she was starting to develop a painful migraine.

"Leah, we seem to have a slight problem with the accommodations," the druidess addressed her as the young priestess approached the group. "I secured three rooms for us, but Aerie refuses to share with Viconia."

"She's smarter than she appears to fear me," Viconia smirked, looking very accomplished with the anxiety that her voice alone managed to instill in the young avariel. "I might decide to just snap her neck while she sleeps and then proceed to drink her blood. We Drow do that kind of thing, you know."

"Not helping, Viconia," Leah sighed, glaring at her Drow friend.

"Oh, was I supposed be helping?" Viconia rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine, I'll share with Vic," Leah finally decided. "Anomen and Minsc, you'll have one room to yourselves, Jaheira, Aerie and Nalia the other. I trust everyone to be satisfied now?" There was no more grumbling and everyone quickly proceeded upstairs, only Viconia lingering next to her, facing Leah with a sultry smile.

"So, you wanted me all to yourself, didn't you?" the Drow chuckled in that slightly irritatingly know-it-all voice of hers.

"Of course, Viconia... you are simply irresistible, as you well know..." Leah sighed, shaking her head as she started to climb upstairs.

"Wait, _abbil_ , let me get us a bottle of wine from the innkeeper and then you can tell me more about just how irresistible I am," Viconia shouted after her. "You and I, we'll have one unforgettable evening, let me tell you..."


	20. Chapter 20

"You know... I think I can see something down in the valley," Viconia de Vir commented, standing at the window of the tavern room that she shared with Leah. "Something... dark and... made of shadows, moving about..."

"It's probably all that wine you consumed," Leah grumbled, burying her face in the pillow, already under the blankets as Viconia still remained at the window.

"Well, someone had to finish off that bottle now that it was opened, and since you were not up to it..." Viconia chuckled, then tensing as she saw something uncomfortably close to the inn. Another mountain brook was running behind the inn, maybe as much as thirty yards away, and she had just seen the bushes growing on the bank of the brook shiver and move a little. "I think I can see them, just behind the inn! Come! Come, look!" she urged the young priestess.

"You're trying to pull a joke on me, aren't you?" Leah sighed, eventually turning her head to look up at Viconia at the window, freezing momentarily when she saw the Drow's silhouette illuminated in the moonlight. Viconia's nightgown was basically a very thin, see-through black silken shift and in the unusually bright moonlight it left very little to imagination. Leah's throat went completely dry as she felt a surge of heat coursing through her while she secretly admired Viconia's sensual curves, especially the swell of the supple, full breast.

"Don't be ridiculous," Viconia chided, turning towards her and breaking the spell. "Get over here and take a look for yourself!"

"Oh fine... fine, if you insist," Leah grumbled, climbing out of the bed and joining Viconia at the window. There was not a lot of room for them both, and the Drow didn't show any intent to move aside, which meant that Leah had to stand very close to Viconia in order to take a look outside, feeling the warmth radiating from the Drow female's body next to her. "So, where is the bogeyman, Viconia?" she finally asked, once her thoughts had finished swimming.

"It was over there, in the bushes," Viconia pointed out of the window, moving a little closer to Leah as she did so. The young priestess could feel the Drow pressing against her lightly, soft skin barely covered by the thin shift, the supple breast brushing teasingly against her arm, Leah shivering at the sensation, wanting to pull away, but at the same time, almost needing to press closer back to the Drow.

"I... I see nothing there," Leah eventually managed. For a while she really did see nothing, her senses too overwhelmed by Viconia's presence, almost blinding her. "You're just... imagining things..."

"Just wait a little and you'll see that I was not mistaken," Viconia replied. "I mean... I'm perfectly comfortable here... aren't you?"

"Of course I am..." Leah replied, her legs feeling a little weak as the Drow shifted again, brushing even more firmly against her side. She was about to reluctantly pull away, when suddenly she saw a rustle in the bushes where Viconia had pointed at. There was a flash of two burning red orbs, just for a brief while, but then, a mere moment later they were gone, leaving Leah wondering whether she had truly seen something, or had it all been a figment of her imagination. "Was that..."

"So you saw it too, then, and I wasn't just imagining things?" Viconia asked, sounding a little smug. "Maybe next time you'll show a little bit more faith in me."

"Sorry, Vic..." Leah mumbled apologetically. "What do you suppose that thing was?"

"Well, I guess we will find out tomorrow... or we'll die trying, like the fools who went before us," Viconia summarized aptly.

"You're just a fountain of optimism, aren't you?" Leah sighed, looking around for more signs of the strange wolf-like creatures, but it appeared as if they had truly retreated for now. "They're probably looking for their next prey... some careless villager, drunkenly stumbling back home after a night of drinking at the inn..."

"If they give those creatures such ample opportunities to kill them, then that is what they deserve," Viconia shrugged, Leah almost gasping from the sudden sensation of the Drow's supple breast moving against her arm. "But I should imagine that we are quite safe here at the inn," she added, moving away and turning to look directly at Leah's face in the moonlight.

"Yes, we most certainly are," Leah replied, turning to stare at Viconia.

" _Abbil_... would you like to hear a story?" Viconia asked suddenly, surprising Leah a little. "About how I survived when I first fled to the surface?"

"I... of course," Leah nodded quickly. She was no longer in any hurry to get back to the bed, knowing that she would be unable to sleep now that her senses felt so overcharged.

"It was difficult, as you can imagine," Viconia began. "I knew only a few words in Common, and as I traveled I carefully avoided any contact with the surfacers. Your lands were strange, and each day I huddled under the terrible open sky, certain that I would be pulled into the vastness of it if I but closed my eyes for an instant. Lolth had abandoned me, and I was alone in a strange world. Those _rivvin_ who saw me, hounded me with abandon, and I fled to the forests. There I was hunted by the _darthiir_... surface elves... and their honed hatred drove me further. I was sure I would perish, never to see the Underdark again."

"Well, I don't blame you for hating forests and everything about nature after all that," Leah chuckled uneasily, quickly assuming a more serious expression when she noticed Viconia's eyes upon hers, full with burning intensity. "So... what happened next?"

"A group of _goln_... you call them goblins... tried to seal my fate, but a human merchant came in his caravan, and his guards scattered them," Viconia continued after a slight pause. "From a distance he had thought me for a surface elf. Surprisingly, when he learned that I was a Drow he still offered me shelter. It was a sanctuary while I learned the human tongue. He was Calimshite, I believe... they are fond of slaves, are they not? The price for my safety was the favors I bestowed... erotic arts that the Drow have honed for an eon."

"Ugh... you were his sex slave?" Leah growled, her fists clenching from the thought alone.

"Yes, I was," Viconia nodded. The expression on her face became wicked as her intense stare focused on Leah's brown eyes. "Does it amuse you that I had to run my dark hands along his sweaty folds and tickle him artfully with my tongue? That he exerted himself wildly as I passionately bit his shoulder?"

"Why would it amuse me?" Leah replied tensely, unable to hold Viconia's burning stare. She lowered her eyes, but found herself staring at Viconia's breasts, dark nipples standing out prominently against the thin silken shift. With a shudder, Leah angrily tore her eyes away, turning to stare out of the window. "The thought of you having to do that... it makes me sick," she admitted a while later as Viconia stood silent.

"Actually, it was not so bad," Viconia shrugged. "The male quickly became my pawn, and the caravan went where I wished. Alas, it was not something that I was willing to tolerate for long. His heart gave out one night... completely accidentally, of course..." she added meaningfully.

"Good," Leah hissed. "If you hadn't killed him, I would propose to hunt him down together and then roast him alive over slow fire..."

Viconia let out an almost tender sounding chuckle. "It was hardly the worst thing I have suffered in my life, Leah. And if you want to help me wreak horrible vengeance upon all those who have caused me pain, well, we would have our work cut out for us. Fortunately, the majority of them are dead already, mostly by my hand... but the sentiment is still appreciated," she smiled, then reaching out to cup Leah's cheek unexpectedly, taking a step closer to the young woman so that their bodies nearly touched, the tips of Viconia's breasts brushing lightly against Leah's tunic. "I wonder... would you hate that merchant just as passionately if I had told you that I had been a willing participant?"

"I... umm, I think that..." Leah stuttered at Viconia's touch, contrary to her words unable to think at all, her body feeling as if torched by blazing flame, pushing her close to the point of self combustion.

"You are right... there is no need to say anything," the Drow smiled, pulling away and walking over to her bed, breaking the spell and allowing Leah to breathe again. "Your reaction already told me everything I needed to know..."

"Perhaps I should be less encouraging towards you sharing your past with me," Leah breathed out, managing a slightly accusing glare at the grinning Drow.

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" Viconia chuckled, climbing into her bed. "Now, shall we get some sleep this night, little _jalil_?"

"Go right ahead, I'll join you in a moment," Leah said, heading for the door, her legs still shaking a little bit.

"Where are you going?" the Drow inquired in a teasing voice.

"I need to use the bathroom," Leah uttered quickly. "Be right back," she added, all but running out of the room, dashing to the common bathroom, relieved to find it empty as expected at this time of night. With trembling hands, she pulled her tunic upwards, then slipping a hand between her legs, fingers brushing along her burning core, the girl shuddering from the sight as they came away glistening with wetness.

"By Milil, I hate how weak I am... and how easily she messes with my head..." she sighed to herself, guiding her fingers to the painfully hard, stiff bud above her center, already throbbing with fiery need. It took only a few swipes with the pad of her thumb before she came undone, Viconia's act having driven her to the precipice of release already. She slammed her head backwards against the doors, biting down on the fingers of her other hand as powerful release rippled through her, accompanied by many... inappropriate images spinning through her head, all of them involving naked, sweaty Drow, panting as she surrendered herself to carnal pleasures with different partners, her own filthy thoughts filling Leah's head with pangs of bitter jealousy.

Having steadied herself, Leah quickly washed up before returning to her room. Viconia would probably guess what she had been up to and would tease her mercilessly, but now that the tension had bled from her, she felt more up to the task of enduring the Drow and her enticing behavior...

* * *

The following morning saw Leah waking up early, but still not early enough to catch Jaheira, the druidess already returning to her room when Leah was about to slip out of the inn to find a quiet place where she could offer her song of reverence to Milil without disturbing anyone's rest. Once she had finished her prayers, Leah walked up to the mayor's house to check whether the portly Minister Lloyd was already up, and having heard through the open window how the mayor conversed with his equally corpulent wife in the kitchen, she wasted no time in heading in and delivering Madulf's proposal to the shocked mayor.

Fortunately, despite his wife's considerable skepticism, the mayor was savvy enough to recognize the benefit for the entire village from such a deal with the ogres, and after some additional coaxing by Leah, having finished his breakfast Lloyd eventually departed to head over to Madulf's camp and talk things over with the amiable ogre. Meanwhile, Leah returned to the inn to have a hearty morning meal herself, now that most of her companions were up and about as well. The day was still young when they set out with ample provisions to last them for at least a week, first taking a short walk to Merella's ranger cabin, the half-elf already expecting them, fully prepared for travel.

Despite Merella's objections, Valygar insisted on accompanying them at least until the edge of the forest where their paths parted, the dark-skinned ranger continuing on to the D'Arnise Keep, sounding grateful when thanking them for agreeing to explore the secrets of the sphere together and expressing hope to see them soon. Having bid Lord Corthala farewell, the group of eight entered the thick forest, spreading at the foothills of the Umar mountain range. It certainly was a great benefit to have a local guide in Merella with them. While Jaheira and Minsc would have been able to pick their way through the forest, Merella knew all the paths and shortcuts, choosing a very comfortable and well maintained path for them, allowing the group to keep up good pace.

"How far is it to the wolves den?" Leah heard Aerie asking of their guide, the avariel walking with Merella at the front of the group together with Minsc.

"I could probably make it there in six hours, but with you lot we will probably need all eight," the half-elf chuckled in response. "The path will not remain this... civilized for very long. Especially once we get deeper into the forest."

"Oh joy," Leah muttered to herself, walking next to Jaheira along the path. The druidess appeared to be less moody than on the first day after the slaughter at the Harper Hold, though she still did not speak as much as usually. "What do you make of it all?" Leah decided to encourage Jaheira to some more chatter, hoping that the half-elf would open up a bit.

"I am unsure," Jaheira shrugged her shoulders. "One thing I do know... there is magic at work, and it is likely to be very powerful. Whoever is behind this will not be an easy foe to vanquish. I hope we will be up to the task."

"Mhm, yes, seeing that the halfling and her band have already managed to fail, or so it would seem," Leah sighed. "I really don't like heading into the proverbial wolves den while knowing so little about what we're going to face. I've decided that surprises are overrated." Jaheira let out a snort at that, forcing Leah to smile. "Well, at least we have Merella with us. She seems competent enough, and she knows the surroundings. Hopefully it will give us the edge that we need."

"Agreed," Jaheira replied curtly, then falling silent again and appearing a bit pensive, making Leah wonder whether the Harper Hold disaster was still weighing heavily on her mind. _What kind of a thought is that?_ She immediately chastised herself inwardly. _How could it not be weighing on her, you idiot! She has lost her other family, and they will soon begin sending agents to seek our demise... it should be weighing heavily upon my mind as well!_

"You're thinking about the Harpers, aren't you?" Leah eventually could not resist asking, unable to stand the silence any longer.

"Of course," Jaheira ground out, looking very tense. "I simply... hate this... feeling guilty when I know in my heart that I have done nothing wrong." She hesitated a little bit. "Well... that is, I _think_ I have done nothing wrong..."

"Do you have doubts whether not allowing Galvarey to imprison me was the right thing to do?" Leah asked, sounding a little disbelieving.

"No, but... it is partly what being a Harper is all about, is it not?" Jaheira asked, more of a rhetorical question in addressing herself. "They tried to make me understand and accept that sometimes the proper course is hard to see and what is best overall may seem barbaric at first. The goal is what matters despite a questionable method. Greater good above everything else."

"Do you really believe that?" Leah asked as they continued walking. The druidess did not reply. "I'm not sure you do. Your actions don't mirror those words."

"Then... maybe I'm just not a very good Harper," Jaheira sighed.

"But a wonderful friend and guardian," Leah grinned at the druidess, earning a reluctant but content smile in reply, making her feel warm inside.

"You have an uncanny way of saying things that make me feel better," the half-elf chuckled, sidestepping something in her path that looked like it had been left behind by a mountain bear with severe diarrhea. "Still, your heritage adds a complicating factor to the whole issue."

"Yes, it tends to complicate everything, doesn't it?" Leah laughed bitterly. "How did you mean it on this particular occasion, though?"

"I trust in you, Leah, but you also possess the capacity of proving Galvarey right and making me in the wrong, should you stray from the path of... light, balance, call it as you want, as long as it does not lead to destruction and evil," Jaheira said grimly.

"Well, I have no intentions of becoming like Sarevok and making you feel like the biggest idiot in the Realms for not nipping my evil aspirations in the bud," Leah shrugged. "But yes, more added pressure... thanks for that."

"I... did not mean to, I apologize," Jaheira uttered, looking guilty. "It was not my intent to..."

"I know it wasn't," Leah interrupted the druidess by raising her hand. "I was just joking." _Not really, though... she did make me aware just how much my decisions affect the others. I mean, I already knew that, always have known, but this is just so... direct. Jaheira has taken a big gamble by choosing me over her second family, and I have to do what I can to justify her trust._

"Not one of your better jokes," Jaheira gave her a slightly irritated look.

"Yes, sorry about that," Leah shrugged, falling silent for a moment before speaking up again. "They would have found Galvarey by now, yes?"

"Obviously," Jaheira nodded. "And someone would have known that he had planned to meet us on the very same evening when they were all killed. They might have already sent out agents to track me down, first to speak with me... and they might have very well already established that we have departed from Athkatla."

"It is still going to take them some time, right?" Leah asked, feeling very uncomfortable at the news.

"Yes, but they will track us down sooner or later," Jaheira said listlessly. "Do not harbor foolish hopes of evading the Harpers and their sense of justice."

"Mhm," Leah grumbled unhappily. "They will want to hear our side of the story, right?"

Jaheira did not say anything for a while. "Be prepared for everything," she finally said curtly. "Always a good rule of thumb when dealing with the Harpers."

"Well, that's comforting to know," Leah sighed. _I'm starting to seriously wonder how Gorion, Jaheira and Khalid got involved with that group in the first place. The more I learn about the Harpers, the less... appealing the picture becomes._

"My role is not to provide comfort," the druidess gave her a stern look before her expression softened and she actually managed another smile to cheer up the pouting priestess.

"Point taken," Leah grinned back. "Say, Jaheira..." she added, seeing that the others had walked a fair distance ahead, out of the earshot. "Ever since Nalia reminded me, I've been meaning to ask you about her aunt... I have a feeling that you know more about her fate than you're letting on."

"I might know something," Jaheira shrugged coolly. "But there is not much to add, except that she will never be found."

"What... did you silence her?" Leah actually stopped, giving her friend a slightly shocked stare.

"She planned to surrender the keep to the Roenall forces," Jaheira replied emotionlessly. "Nalia will be better off without her poisonous influence. But no, it was not me who got rid of her." Leah gave her an inquiring stare. "Yoshimo," she added when the young priestess continued to look at her expectantly.

"Oh... well, it was probably for the best," Leah eventually acknowledged. "I just wish that there was a way to somehow put Nalia's worries at ease over the whole issue. I'll try to think of some way to do that..."

"I advise caution," Jaheira warned. "I would not want an angry mage to start throwing fireballs at us. I rather prefer to keep my eyebrows and my hair, if it is all the same to you."

"Me too," Leah quickly agreed with a smile, then noticing that the rest of the group ahead of them had suddenly stopped and were busy examining something, excited whispers and hushed voices reaching back to them.

"This darkness is most unnatural," Anomen declared loudly as Jaheira and Leah quickly caught up to the others. "There is foul magic at work here, my friends!"

"What is he talking about, what darkness?" Leah wondered, looking at the blue sky above the treetops, then glancing at Jaheira, the druidess merely shrugging. Leah received her answer shortly afterwards as they kept walking. Suddenly, twilight clamped down on them like thick mist, and then a few steps later when they caught up with the rest of their friends, all of them found themselves standing in pitch black darkness, as if someone had drawn a crude border through the forest that separated the light from the darkness.

"This is seriously creepy," Leah could hear Merella's voice a little further ahead. "It wasn't here a tenday ago, when I patrolled through this part of the forest. What could have caused something like this to appear?"

"I agree with friend Anomen, foul magic is responsible for this," Minsc declared loudly and with certainty. "But never fear, Boo's advice will guide us as always... Boo? Boo, where are you? Boo!" Minsc exclaimed frantically, unable to find his pet hamster in the overwhelming darkness. "What evil trickery is this! You will return my Boo, do you hear, you wicked Umar witch! Have at thee!" Minsc threatened, growing increasingly excited, swinging around recklessly until someone grunted with pain in the dark.

"Nalia, could we have some mage lights, please?" Leah asked quickly, the mage reacting instantly and their surroundings were immediately illuminated, even if the light seemed much paler and weaker than usually, still enough to reveal a grimacing Anomen, holding his reddened and slightly swollen cheek.

"Boo! There you are!" Minsc finally produced the squeaking rodent from somewhere within his belongings, the hamster probably having hidden from the evil and overwhelming darkness. "Thanks to little Nalia, we are once again reunited as the most fearsome butt-kicking duo in the entire Realms!"

"It seems that whatever this... darkness might be, it is also countering our magic," Nalia remarked, watching the mage lights summoned by her and Aerie slowly becoming dimmer as they resumed walking through the twisted, narrow path, constantly tripping on roots and branches in the dark.

"Yes, I... I don't think I can... maintain it..." Aerie stumbled, her mage light flickering and eventually fading away, Nalia's following shortly after, leaving them in complete pitch darkness. "Sorry..."

"It's not really your fault, don't apologize," Leah replied. "Some of us are blessed with night vision... Merella can still lead us and Aerie, Viconia and Jaheira can look around for threats. Let's form a tight chain and keep very close. I don't want anyone to get lost in this darkness."

"I... that would be... very scary," Nalia gulped, sounding frightened, reaching out in the dark towards someone walking alongside her. "I don't know who's hand I just grabbed, but I'm not letting go. I don't want to get separated."

"Ah... you are... most welcome, my Lady," Anomen muttered, sounding a little uncomfortable, but being the gallant knight that he pretended to be, continued to hold Nalia's hand, cold from fear.

"I trust you are all aware that we are not alone here," Viconia warned, placing a hand on Leah's shoulder and turning her to look left. Multiple pairs of red glowing dots danced in the darkness, circling them, like cunning predators surrounding their prey. "The same creatures we spotted stalking the valley after the fall of night."

"Yes, it's those wolves... or wolf-like creatures," Merella replied in a tense voice. "They have stalked me through the forests before... but not in such numbers. And this darkness... no, this is new... it's as if it was spreading..."

"Spreading from where?" Leah asked quickly.

"I don't know," Merella said, continuing to lead them onwards. "Perhaps from the wolves' den? Let us stick with our plan to investigate it first."

"I agree," Leah nodded to that as she watched the circling red lights swarming all around them, half-dozen if not more of those mysterious creatures sizing them up, but fortunately holding back their attack for now. _Maybe they're waiting for their chance... maybe they're waiting for us to walk into a trap. Maybe they will strike when we approach the den... there's bound to be more and more of them there... not that we can back out now,_ she realized pensively, seeking out the holy symbol of Milil in a thin silver chain around her neck and running her fingers across the five-stringed harp made of silver leaves in search for reassurance.

"Damnation!" suddenly Merella cursed, having tripped while walking at the front of the group.

"Lady Merella?" Anomen asked with concern.

"Wait, don't come closer... there's something here..." the ranger-protector warned, pushing the others back when they tried to come to her aid. "By Mielikki... it's... a body! Could I have some light, please?"

"It's... not going to last for long..." Aerie warned.

"It does not matter, we don't need it to last," Merella urged the avariel, and moments later the mage light illuminated the path as they all surrounded a bloodied corpse that lay there, multiple deep gashes covering the man's torso, the attackers having shredded his leather armor to pieces. "Goddess, it's one of the men in Lady Fentan's group... I think his name was Lellyn."

"Looks like they didn't get far," Viconia commented, slightly mockingly.

"Judging from the position of the body, I would say that he was fleeing," Merella said after a moment of consideration, then quickly searching the body, producing a smudged, slightly mangled journal and passing it to Leah. "Looks like he was keeping a diary. You city folk are probably better at making sense of that scribbling."

"Aerie, if I could have that light over here," Leah said quickly, the avariel responding and positioning the already fading and flickering light source over Leah's head. "Thank you. Now, let's see what it says... speaks of killing plenty of... shadows and black wolves?"

"As we thought, there should be answers waiting for us at the den," Jaheira nodded at that.

"Plenty of praise for this Mazzy Fentan," Leah continued to read, ignoring Anomen's snorting. "Wait, this is interesting... it speaks of some kind of ruined temple nearby, swarming with shadows..."

"Yes, the ancient temple of Amaunator," Merella explained. "It is not too far from the den."

"It is quite possible that the temple is the source of this evil," Leah said, having finished reading. "Mazzy Fentan led her group there with the intent to enter and search it for the root of this evil."

"Would you like me to lead you straight to the temple, then?" the ranger-protector asked.

"No... I suppose we should search the den as well," Leah shrugged. "Let's start with that."

"Are we... are we just going to leave... this poor man to lay here?" Aerie asked, sounding more than a little affected by the surroundings.

"Yes, that is exactly what we'll do, because of the last entry in his diary that I just read," Leah said sternly, throwing the journal away in the darkened forest. "This Lellyn never entered the temple with his friends. He turned yellow and abandoned them, trying to flee instead, but was cut down by the shadows before he could escape."

"A traitor, then," Jaheira shrugged. "This is a fitting end for him."

"Indeed," Leah said, urging everyone to resume moving again. "Leave him here to rot..."


	21. Chapter 21

Leah wrinkled her nose at the dampness and the faint stench of rot that permeated the air deep in the ruined temple of Amaunator. She directed a grateful smile at Anomen when the young Helmite lit another of the many torches lining the walls of this dismal former place of worship. Not only the light of the torches seemed to repel the creatures that infested this deadly ruin, the smell of the hardened resin when it burned was much more preferable to the foul, decaying air of the temple.

"Have you made any progress, my Lady?" Anomen asked then, looking at her. He was standing by one of the entrances to the chamber, making sure that nobody snuck up on them from behind. The dancing flames of the torches were playing tricks with his shadow, making it constantly move and shift, even if Anomen himself stood perfectly still.

"Not yet, Anomen," Leah replied, continuing to read the inscriptions on a large guardian statue at the back of the chamber while Aerie and Viconia were busy examining similar inscriptions along the walls. Jaheira had led the others to explore the adjacent rooms, and much to Leah's relief, they were not hearing any sounds of battle, which meant that the three priestesses could relax and continue to study the secrets of the ancient temple.

"I'm just relieved that we visited that den of wolves before coming to the temple," Aerie spoke nearby, looking paler than usual in the light of the torches. "That was a very wise decision, Leah, one that surely saved our lives."

"You really don't want to know how close I was to abandoning the plan to check out the wolves' den," Leah chuckled at herself quietly, noticing that the young avariel shuddered a little at that. "But yes, without Anath's warning we probably would not have survived that trap at the temple entrance."

"I'm just sad that she had to pay for it with her life," Aerie sniffled. "She deserved better." The werewolf Anath had been torn to pieces by a large mob of shades and shadow wolves before Leah and her friends had been able to react. They had managed to trigger the defenses of the temple, bringing down a column of bright light that immediately dispersed the undead, but it had been too late for Anath, the only consolation that her death would have been swift.

"Most deserve better," Leah shrugged, but it was not meant as an unsympathetic gesture. "I do agree, though. She proved extremely helpful." Not only had Anath, the former leader of the wolf packs of the region before their corruption, warned them about the trap they were heading into, she had also provided them with some crucial information about the temple and the history behind it.

The temple was more than simply a place of Amaunator's worship, it was also a resting place of a great prophetess of Amaunator, a consecrated ground, but even more importantly, it was also a prison to an entity of the Shadow Plane, something called the Shade Lord. In an age long gone by, Amaunator himself had defeated this Shade Lord and bound him to his temple, but recently something had happened that had allowed this Shade Lord to break free. It did not surprise Leah overly much, knowing that the worship of Amaunator had faded over the past decades, the Yellow God said to no longer answer the desperate prayers of his worshippers. _It doesn't surprise me then that he no longer has the power to keep this Shade Lord imprisoned,_ Leah thought to herself. _And now it's up to us to defeat a being that once required a powerful deity to deal with... we must be insane to attempt this. But perhaps it will be as easy as reinforcing some wards... probably not, but a girl can hope, eh?_

"I'm starting to get the gist of what this guardian statue wants from us," Leah finally said, having finished reading the inscriptions at the base of the statue. There was a protrusion on the side of the massive carved stone head, one that Nalia was certain to be a cache that potentially held some item of importance. She had been unable to open it, however, and Anomen's attempt to smash it open with his flail had brought a column of fire upon his head, nearly incinerating the impatient Helmite. That was when Leah had suggested that perhaps the cache would be tied to some kind of magical riddle or test, and upon further examination of the statue, that assertion appeared to be correct.

"Then give that annoying statue what it wants, so we can finally be done with this place," Viconia spoke with irritation, the Drow sitting on her knees and reading something that was carved in small and partially eroded script, forcing the dark elf to strain her eyes painfully. Next to her, a large skeletal warrior stood obediently in the corner of the room, holding a large greatsword, the gift of Shar allowing Viconia to control mindless undead... and make Anomen and Aerie very nervous as they from time to time cast glances at the skeleton, as if expecting Viconia to order it to attack them.

"In a moment, my dear Viconia," Leah grinned, rising to her feet and placing her hands on palm-shaped indentations upon the statue. "The statue wants us to recite the three holy rituals of Amaunator in order to test our devotion."

"I had not even heard of this Amaunator before we came upon this temple..." Aerie confessed shyly, her shoulders sagging a little.

"Perhaps the answer is in some of these wall inscriptions?" Anomen suggested, trying to be helpful.

"Possibly, but there is no need to search for it," Leah replied, just a touch smugly as she faced the statue and began to recite the holy rituals of Amaunator. "At Dawn, our first duty is to say a prayer to the Light, oh Keeper of the Eternal Sun. We then hold high the Holy Book so that the Sun might bless it. To end the Morning Ritual, we reflect on the glory of the Light as it conquers the Dark."

"My Lady... how are you doing it?" Anomen gasped at her, looking awestruck.

"Who cares how she is doing it, as long as it works," Viconia shrugged. "And it seems to be working, because she hasn't been hit by a bolt of lightning or worse, yet."

Leah ignored the comments of her comrades and simply continued to recite the order of Amaunator's holy rituals. "When the Sun is high, and the Noon is upon us, we honor our Lord by singing a hymn of praise to the Keeper of the Eternal Sun. We raise our hands to the Light, and rejoice at its dominance to end the Noontide Ritual." Nothing seemed to happen after she had finished speaking, so Leah cleared her throat and quickly continued. "At the dusk, as the Darkness moves in, we recite the Tenets of the Faith to ward off evil. As the shadows grow longer, we hold our children high so that they might see the Sun. As the Evening Ritual ends, we mourn as we watch the Sun give way to the onslaught of the night..."

As soon as Leah had finished speaking, they all could hear a low rumbling sound nearby. "By Shar, it is opening!" Viconia exclaimed, jumping to her feet and looking on as the stone lid parted, offering access to the hidden cache. "Well done, little _jalil_!"

"Thank you," Leah grinned smugly, reaching into the hidden compartment and fishing out a fragment of a bright sun-colored disc with drawings that she recognized instantly. "Hmm, what do you know... a part of Amaunator's holy symbol. I reckon we should hold on to it..."

"Well done, my Lady," Anomen also nodded with a smile. "So, were the rituals described in those inscriptions upon the statue?"

"Not really," Leah shrugged casually. "Remember that I spent all my youth in Candlekeep, and for twelve years I was being taught by the priests of Oghma. There were several tomes on ancient and faded deities, and fortunately for us, one of them was focused on Amaunator in particular. I just needed to read a few of these inscriptions to recall what I had learned years ago, and then everything fell into place."

"I am still very impressed, Leah," Anomen gallantly bowed to her. "Shall we follow the others if we are done here?"

"Weren't we supposed to wait for Nalia and the others?" Aerie asked hesitantly.

"Yes, we were, so that is what we will do," Leah nodded. A sudden movement in the dark corner of the chamber startled her a little, but she relaxed quickly, realizing that it was simply the skeleton warrior under Viconia's command. However, her brief bewilderment hadn't escaped Anomen's attention, the Helmite turning to glare at Viconia.

"We hardly need that monstrosity of yours, Drow. Not now... nor ever," he said, eyeing the undead with obvious distaste.

"Considering that this very skeleton blocked an overhead slash that might have cleaved off your hand, _jaluk_ , I would have expected slightly more gratitude," Viconia scoffed.

"I'm not very comfortable with it following us around," Aerie confessed shyly, giving Leah a slightly pleading stare. "It... seems wrong to control the undead like that. Don't you think so, Leah?"

"Regardless of how I feel about it, Viconia's gift is a boon to the group, and it would be foolish not to use all tools of survival that are at our disposal," Leah shrugged, not wanting to be coerced into some kind of argument and manipulated into picking sides.

"Well said, _abbil_ ," Viconia nodded approvingly. "I knew there was a reason I respected you." She gave a disdainful stare to both Aerie and Anomen before snapping her fingers, and as if on cue the skeleton warrior collapsed in a pile of bones, the massive greatsword clattering on the floor with a loud clang. "But if it disturbs you so much..."

"You didn't have to do that," Leah said softly to the Drow. "Truth be told... I'm a little envious of your ability to control them. It seems like such a helpful tool to get out of a tight spot should you ever find yourself surrounded and against superior odds..." Of course, Leah had her own gift of turning undead from Milil, but her patron had not yet blessed her with greater ability than simply sending the weaker undead fleeing, same as Aerie's gifts that she received from Baervan Wildwanderer. Helm allowed Anomen to sometimes destroy the weaker undead outright, but a part of Leah still heretically wished that she could have Viconia's talent at her disposal.

"Well, little _jalil_... you know what to do," Viconia winked at her teasingly. "If you reject that useless deity of yours, Shar will happily grant you her succor, I'm certain..."

"Hold your tongue, Drow!" Anomen exclaimed angrily, his eyes shooting daggers at Viconia. "Lady Leah is not interested in worshipping your twisted and vile goddess!" He turned towards Leah, looking incensed. "I knew she would be trying to corrupt you, my Lady!"

"Well, obviously, I would expect nothing less of Viconia," Leah shook her head, irritation growing. "Fortunately, I am still able to make my own decisions in how I react to Viconia's words. Or is there something that leads you to believe that I need you to make these decisions for me, Anomen?"

"Only the fact that you still tolerate her presence, my Lady," Anomen replied sternly. "But I see that I am wasting my breath with these warnings," he added, turning around to stare at the hallway he was supposed to guard, Aerie coming over to join him, the avariel probably feeling disappointed that Leah had no taken a stance against Viconia.

"What an amazing display of camaraderie," Viconia rolled her eyes, then giving Leah a scrutinizing stare. "Also, _jalil_ , did you just call me predictable?"

"I would not say predictable, Viconia, but... well, it is a known fact that Shar expects you to... spread your influence, so to speak," Leah replied. "And I understand that well enough. You will not succeed, but by all means, keep trying. It will keep us both amused and entertained, at the very least."

"Hah... if only everyone had your attitude, Leah," Viconia laughed, looking at Aerie and Anomen, both of them pretending not to listen to the other pair. "But keep in mind that Shar can teach you much about loss and how to cope with it... and you have lost so much..."

"Let's not talk about that anymore now, Viconia," Leah said a little stiffly, turning away to press the holy symbol of Milil against her lips, as if to apologize for suffering Viconia's heretical temptations.

"The others are returning, my Lady," Anomen said suddenly, Leah grateful for the interruption as the silence between her and Viconia threatened to drag. She walked up to Anomen and Aerie to see the group of four approaching through the passageway, Nalia at the front, looking proud and accomplished, Jaheira, Merella and Minsc bringing up the rear and appearing none worse the wear.

"I'm glad to see that you have avoided serious trouble," Leah smiled as the other part of the group rejoined them. "Did you find anything of interest?"

"Only this," Nalia grinned broadly, extending her arm towards them and then unfolding her fist, blinding light jumping from her open palm and momentarily stunning them all. The young mage quickly closed her palm again, but Leah managed to notice that the object that Nalia was holding appeared to be a large gem of sorts.

"It was illuminating one of the rooms further in," Jaheira explained. "When we removed it from a pedestal, the shadows attacked us."

"They were no match for Minsc and Boo!" the large Rashemi ranger declared happily. "Boo and I are both relieved that these shadows have solid enough backsides for us to kick!"

"And before you ask, Leah, the passageway led us back out to the empty prison cells," Merella explained quickly. "There were no other exits, the route we took led us around in a circle. But... Nalia thinks that we should try this gem at the barrier that was blocking us earlier... perhaps this light can dispel its magic."

"Well, worth a try... it's not like we have any other ideas right now," Leah shrugged. She then pulled out the part of the disc that formed the holy symbol of Amaunator, showing it to the others. "You didn't come across something like this?" she asked, looking at Jaheira in particular.

"I am sure we would have noticed," the druidess replied, shaking her head.

"Ah, well, I should have known," Leah sighed. "Anyway, let's go point shiny gems at ominous barriers of unspeakable evil..."

* * *

"By Shar, if I ever manage to find out who placed a magical pit of lava in the middle of a supposedly holy temple, I'm going to repeatedly resurrect and kill them over and over again," Viconia de Vir cursed loudly, having finished sealing a large bleeding gash on Minsc's arm.

"I would most certainly help you," Merella chuckled darkly, rubbing some kind of ointment on her shins that had suffered light burns. The Shade Lord was certainly proving to be a cunning foe, for he had commanded his undead hordes to spring a trap upon Leah's group just as they were carefully negotiating their path across the fiery pit. A group of skeletons and shades had arrived from one side, at the same time as a lumbering bone golem emerged from the other side, effectively cutting them off. Viconia had managed to control some of the undead and used them to distract the golem, but it had swiftly dealt with the Drow's minions and then had given Minsc a sound trashing with its sharp scythe-like claws. In fact, most of them had received some kind of injury during that chaotic scuffle, whether it was a burn or a cut, but fortunately the next chamber was empty and provided the opportunity to take a breather and patch up their wounds.

"Look at this, Leah," Aerie called her over, pointing at a massive burial tomb in the corner of the chamber, adorned with detailed bas-reliefs. "It seems more elaborate than anything we've seen... who do you think was entombed here?"

"I'm not sure..." Leah mused, then noticing that the lid of the sarcophagus was pushed aside. She quickly picked up a torch and peered inside, finding it empty save for some ancient, dusty rags and a few splintered off bones. "Well, there's nobody entombed now... hmm, I wonder..."

"What are you thinking, Leah?" Jaheira asked, stepping closer.

"It's just a hunch..." the young priestess shrugged, looking uncertain. "Did anyone notice some old discarded human bones anywhere?" she asked the rest of the group.

"I saw a pile of scattered remains in the large hall next to the prison cells," Merella replied. "Why are you asking, Leah?"

"Well... I'm just thinking..." Leah rubbed her brow thoughtfully. "Any of you notice something odd about this sarcophagus?"

After some time, it was Aerie who spoke up. "It's... very small... isn't it?"

"Precisely," Leah nodded. "Do you remember what Anath said?"

"The great prophetess of Amaunator was a child," Jaheira finally realized. "Amuana... this could be her tomb. Do you think it could be important?"

"It has been defiled," Viconia gave the sarcophagus a more detailed examination. "And that could have weakened the already failing wards of Amaunator, keeping the Shade Lord imprisoned."

"So we're looking for the bones of a young child?" Merella asked, receiving a quick nod from Leah. "Understood. I'll be back in a moment."

"Anomen, Nalia, go with her," Leah ordered swiftly, not wanting anyone of her group to wander around this deadly dungeon on their own, her two comrades quickly rushing after Merella.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, the group of three returned, Merella carrying a sad pile of slightly gnawed-upon bones and a small skull that had obviously belonged to a young human of less than ten years of age. "These were the only remains that could have belonged to a child," the half-elven ranger explained. "Do you want me to just put them in the sarcophagus?" she asked, receiving another nod from Leah. "Very well... here goes nothing..." With that, Merella gently lowered the bones and the skull into the final resting place of Amuana, the child prophetess, reverently stepping away once she had done so.

"So, what n-..." Nalia was about to ask when a column of bright light enveloped the sarcophagus, brighter even than the light from the sun gems that they had used to dispel the shadow barriers in their path. As Leah closed her eyes to protect herself from the searing white light, she could feel an otherworldly presence invading her thoughts, permeating her consciousness and speaking directly into her mind. The presence, spirit of Amuana, expressed regret of having been unable to stop the forces of the Shade Lord from breaking free, thanked them for bringing her defilement to an end, and wowed to use all her remaining influence to aid them in their task to defeat the Shade Lord. As the light in the chamber and the whisper of Amuana's presence in their minds slowly faded, Leah stepped forward towards the sarcophagus, ignoring the murmur of whispers amongst her surprised comrades.

"Well, that was certainly educational," Viconia spoke, looking unaffected by the spiritual experience as she stood next to Leah and also peered into Amuana's tomb. "I see the bones have disappeared. How very predictable."

"That may be so, but something has also appeared..." Leah smiled, reaching into the sarcophagus and fishing out another part of the elaborate discus that formed the holy symbol of Amaunator. "I think I like Amuana... she's certainly very helpful," the young priestess added, uniting the newly recovered fragment with the one she already possessed. "Looks like we're two pieces down and with one to go..."

"There is something else as well," Viconia said, reaching into the sarcophagus and retrieving what looked like a flat, oval-shaped stone, black and seemingly surrounded by a light sheen of mist. "I believe this might be the wardstone that the girl mentioned."

"We definitely want to hold on to that," Leah nodded quickly, her Drow friend safely pocketing the wardstone. "I do not want to fight a Shadow Dragon, and probably end up being devoured by it."

"Boo says little Leah should have more faith in our butt-kicking abilities," Minsc frowned deeply at that.

"Oh, I do have faith, Minsc, in you and Boo particularly," Leah smiled at her large ranger friend. "At the same time, we can't help Imoen if we end up chewed upon by a dragon, so I'd rather not take unnecessary risks if I can help it."

"Well, I'm certainly grateful that you thought about those bones, Leah," Nalia said, looking a little pale from the mere mention of the Shadow Dragon.

"Aerie deserves most of the credit," Leah replied, looking at the equally pale Avariel. "She drew my attention to the tomb in the first place."

"Ah... it was nothing, really..." Aerie managed, blushing deeply.

"So, if we are quite done here... the rest of the temple is not going to explore itself," Jaheira said, a little impatiently. "And be alert... the Shadow Dragon is not the only threat capable of tearing us to pieces, down here..."

* * *

"I really hope this is the last of those shadow barriers because we are all out of sun gems," Merella sighed after the brightly shining stone had managed to dispel the impenetrable wall blocking them, exhausting all its magical power in the process and becoming a simple, dull stone which the ranger simply threw away.

"I think we should be close to our destination now," Leah replied, staring down the dark passageway, trying to see where it led to after taking a slight turn. Before continuing onwards, she looked back at her companions, nodding briefly in satisfaction at their battle readiness. The trek through the dark forest and the bowels of the temple had been hard on them all and she could see traces of exhaustion and weariness, but overall, they seemed to be in a good shape coming up to what she expected would be a very difficult battle against the Shade Lord. _Well, at least with four priests and a druid we can't complain about the lack of healing spells,_ she chuckled to herself.

As they made another turn while traversing the passageway, the group of eight came upon a different kind of barrier, this time not of impenetrable shadow, but a solid stone door blocking their path. It did not take long for Leah to notice the round shape on the surface of the door, and she glanced at Aerie, carrying the by now complete holy symbol of Amaunator. "Aerie, would you like to do the honors?" she prompted, pointing at the doors.

"What? Oh... yes, of course," the avariel recovered quickly, realizing what was being asked of her and pressing the holy symbol against the doors, gasping as it clicked into place perfectly and the doors parted with an uncomfortably loud screech that probably alerted everyone in the ancient temple of their approach.

"I believe this would be the prison," Anomen ventured, first one to step inside, Flail of Ages at the ready. "Careful... the stairs leading downstairs are unsafe, narrow and decrepit."

"Viconia, have that wardstone ready, please," Leah whispered as they carefully made their way down the round stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Already thought of that, _abbil_ ," Viconia replied, sounding a little tense as she held the smoky black stone in her hands.

When Leah finally arrived downstairs, those who had walked ahead of her were standing at the bottom as if petrified, looking ahead, their faces pale from fear. And as Leah took in the sight before her, she certainly understood the hesitation of her friends. They had ended in a large, domed hall, a massive structure that she hadn't expected to discover underneath the temple, grand support columns spread all around the hall, but in place of the domed ceiling, there loomed a massive hole, smashed open by an entity of immense power. In the middle of the hall, there lay the Shadow Dragon, a terrifying beast from the worst nightmare, its black scales practically oozing negative energy that seemed to suffocate them from merely looking at the fearsome foe. It was difficult to estimate the beast's size, as it was resting with its massive head on the front paws, but more unnervingly, it's malevolent beady eyes were open, facing them, but as if staring straight past them.

"It does not see us... the wardstone is working," Leah whispered, hoping that all of her friends would be able to keep their wits about them, in particular worrying about very nervous looking Aerie and Nalia. "I can see an exit to our left... that is where we need to go. Let's circle around the dragon... as quietly as we can..."

The slow sneaking, while at the same time huddling close to Viconia, carrying the wardstone, was probably the longest walk in Leah's life, or it certainly felt like the longest she had ever taken. The dragon had reared its head when they were half way around to the other exit and relative safety, and Aerie hadn't been able to stop a gasp escaping her lips, but fortunately the dragon had not noticed the sound. It definitely seemed agitated by something, though, for by the time they had reached the exit, the Shadow Dragon was starting to rise to its full impressive height, and yet it still fortunately did not turn its head in their direction, allowing them to make the last few hasty steps and throw themselves into the doorway, hiding from the dragon's sight.

"That was close," Nalia whispered, wiping the beads of perspiration from her brow.

"Entirely too close, yes," Leah nodded, already scanning the path ahead, stairs leading upstairs and emptying into pitch blackness, not allowing them to see what awaited them. "Let's prepare," the young Sorlyn told her companions. "We have no idea what we'll face next, but since we just avoided the guardian of the Shade Lord, it is likely that this ancient arch villain himself awaits us next."

They spent the next couple of minutes readying themselves for the battle to come, testing their weapons, refreshing the protective enchantments and supportive spells before proceeding up the stairs, Minsc and Anomen leading the charge as they emerged in what looked to be another part of the dark and twisted forest, a group of shadowy creatures surrounding something that looked like a corrupted, twisted shrine. _The Shadow Altar!_ Leah realized, remembering something that the spirit of Amuana had shared with them.

One of the shadows parted from the writhing mass of dark shapes, approaching them. It seemed larger and emanated a strong sense of chilling dread, making them all back up a little as it glided towards them. "What is this... fresh souls?" it spoke, the voice cold and mocking. "How did you sneak by my pet, foolish adventurers? Never mind... in the end, you will still swell the ranks of my dark army!"

"Attack!" Leah simply shouted, refusing to enter some kind of ridiculous exchange of taunts with their foe. They had the advantage of catching the Shade Lord unprepared, and they needed to press this advantage home if they hoped to be successful. As Jaheira and Minsc charged the Shade Lord, Leah pulled out the holy symbol of Milil and began her prayer, a few of the undead shades turning to flee at the glow of light from the holy symbol.

Next to Leah, Anomen, Aerie and Viconia did the same, the shining light of the four holy symbols setting the clearing alight and making the Shade Lord himself hiss in frustration. Aerie also managed to chase some of the shades off, while Anomen forced three of them evaporate in a mist of smoke. Viconia took control of two of the shades and immediately sent them to harass their master while Minsc and Jaheira attacked it from the front, backed by the support of Merella's bow and Nalia's magic.

"Aid me, my servants!" the Shade Lord cried out, a blast of powerful magic pushing Minsc and Jaheira away, the cold attack slowing their attempts to get back into the melee. More worriedly, at least a dozen of new shades suddenly appeared in the clearing, closing in on them.

"The Altar!" Leah shouted, quickly identifying the source of the Shade Lord's power. "He's using the Shadow Altar! Destroy it! Nalia, bring down those shades!"

Nalia reacted quickly, a fireball roaring past Leah and exploding in the midst of the shades, killing most and scattering the rest. The young mage paid for her actions immediately, however, the Shade Lord releasing a shriek of frustration and throwing a dark projectile of purest shadow at Nalia, sending her flying. With a pained cry, she hit a nearby tree and collapsed, unconscious. At least the Shade Lord had given Minsc an opening to get in several clean strikes, but the ranger was struggling to connect with the not entirely corporeal body of their foe.

"Stay on the Shade Lord, Minsc!" Jaheira cried, leaping away and dashing towards the Shadow Altar before more shades could pour through the portal from the Shadow Plane.

"Merella, help her!" Leah ordered, the ranger drawing her long-sword and rushing to help the druidess, realizing that arrows would not do much against the altar. Between the two of them, they were making short work of the corrupted altar when another group of shadow creatures came through, hissing angrily.

Between Leah, Aerie and Anomen, some of the shades were sent fleeing and some destroyed outright again, but the majority were still threatening to overwhelm Jaheira and Merella, both half-elves getting knocked to the ground, shades ready to tear them apart. "Viconia!" Leah cried, noticing that the Drow was no longer trying to control the undead, instead her hands were moving frantically, her lips hastily chanting a prayer. "What are you-..." Leah was about to ask when she received her answer, a roaring column of fire fell onto the altar, the massive flamestrike smashing it to burning pieces and sending the nearby shades fleeing.

"Lightly charred is still preferable to being dead," Viconia commented dryly as she watched Jaheira and Merella rising to their feet, bloody, battered, their armor smoking a little bit, but the two experienced warriors were not going to complain, ignoring their stinging injuries and charging back into melee to reinforce Minsc, the ranger quickly weakening under the relentless assault of shadow and cold magic.

Deprived of his hordes of undead, the Shade Lord, while still a formidable foe, was unable to resist the focused attacks of the group of seven, especially when Anomen joined the melee and brought the powerful magical enchantments of the Flail of Ages against their enemy. The Shade Lord's final efforts managed to down Minsc, the ranger's strength completely drained as he struggled to get up from the ground, but then the Shade Lord let out an otherworldly shriek, its blurry shape starting to twist and swirl, fading away, pulled back to the Shadow Plane, taking the encompassing darkness and corruption with him. The sudden change of their surroundings made Leah blink rapidly, barely recognizing the place where they found themselves once she opened her eyes again, a sunlit clearing in a much more welcoming pine forest.

"Help Minsc and Nalia," Leah ordered quickly but the others were already on the move, a very concerned Anomen rushing over to the prone Nalia while Aerie was already casting a spell to rejuvenate Minsc.

"This one is alive as well, though just barely," Viconia said, looking down at the prone figure that lay in the place where the Shade Lord had fallen. "I don't think anything can be done to save her."

"Who are you?" Leah asked, walking over, looking at the haggard and pale face of a halfling woman, her breathing weak and shallow. "Are you Mazzy Fentan?"

"Yes... thank you, noble souls..." the unfortunate halfling whispered with her last strength. "Thank you... for freeing me from his domination..." she coughed deeply, trail of blood escaping the corner of her mouth. "Patrick... I'm coming... I... I can see you... wait... for me..." her eyes rolled at the back of her head and she slumped backwards, lifeless.

"Poor woman," Leah sighed, watching as Merella bent down on her knees to close the eyelids of the unfortunate halfling adventurer. Still, as sad as it was, Leah's utmost concern was with her own friends. With the corner of her eye she had already noticed Minsc groggily rising from the ground, then turning around to look at where Anomen was still working on Nalia. "How is she, Anomen?" Leah asked worriedly, noticing that the young mage still hadn't moved, Aerie now coming over to help as well.

"She will be fine, my Lady, but I recommend that we rest before we travel again," Anomen replied.

"Understood," Leah nodded, looking over the clearing where they had done battle against the Shade Lord's forces. Walking around the clearing led to a grim discovery, four more slaughtered mercenaries, two halflings and two humans, likely the unfortunate members of Mazzy Fentan's adventuring troupe. "We will need to dig graves and search their belongings," the young Sorlyn spoke, watching as Aerie and Anomen led a very groggy, heavily concussed Nalia back to rejoin the group.

"We... we're not going to steal from the dead... are we?" Aerie asked, looking unhappy.

"I had not finished speaking, Aerie," Leah said sternly. "Minsc, Anomen, you're on the grave digging duty," both men nodded somberly after Anomen had lowered Nalia down to the bedroll, the young mage immediately falling into a deep slumber as soon as she hit the blankets. "Viconia, Jaheira, search the bodies," Leah ordered the two women. "Put their personal belongings of sentimental value, jewelry, letters, that sort of things in a separate sack. That will go to Lloyd and he can return all that to their families. Enchanted weapons, armor, gold coins... all that goes to Rescue Imoen fund. Any objections?" she asked sharply, focusing on Aerie in particular.

"N-no... of course not, Leah..." the avariel managed, a little fearfully.

"Good," Leah nodded curtly, finally allowing herself to relax a little. "You all have your tasks... now, get to them..."


	22. Chapter 22

It was close to midnight by the time they returned to the village of Imnesvale. There were still a dozen or so patrons busy drinking at the local inn, and they became the first to learn the joyous news that the reign of terror at the hands of the Shade Lord had been broken, and that the locals could continue to spend the rest of their mundane lives in pastoral peace. There was a palpable relief of no longer having to fear for their survival, no longer having to spend the nights shivering under the covers and wondering who would turn up dead next, killed by the mysterious shadows of the night. The suddenly surging joy at these news prompted the usually stingy barkeep Vincenzo to roll out several barrels of ale and wine from his secret private storeroom, and crack them open to spark a wild party and celebrations.

Jaheira had gone to bed immediately, shaking her head in disbelief as she climbed the stairs to the room she shared with Aerie and Nalia. Minsc offered to escort his fellow ranger Merella to her cabin, even if the half-elf insisted that she did not need protection now that the shadow wolves no longer stalked the countryside. Still, in the end she had to accept Minsc's kind offer, unwilling to upset Boo's tender feelings, Merella promising to rejoin them in the morning to say farewells before Leah and her friends departed for Trademeet.

The others all stayed up to partake in the celebrations, Leah also happy to kick back and enjoy herself a little after a taxing day and successful completion of their task. Indeed, given the amount of dangers they had faced, Leah was rather surprised that they all came out of it almost unscathed, save for a few superficial bruises. It seemed as if the caution that she was advocating on every step was truly paying off, not to mention that they had plundered some valuable items from the old temple. At the first glance, it seemed as if their loot could bring in several thousands of gold for the Imoen Rescue fund, and Leah intended to parlay with the local merchants tomorrow morning, among other things on her to-do list, such as speaking with Minister Lloyd about their reward and catching up with the ogre leader Madulf about the arrangement she had encouraged between the ogre deserters and the villagers.

As the free booze flowed, the party seemed to only pick up in strength, some of the male patrons rushing off to return a little later with female companionship, usually in the shape of their wives. Vincenzo brought out his old lute, Willet picked up the harmonica, and between the two of them, they let go with one cheerful tune after another, prompting a wild night of dancing. Of course, Anomen immediately faced Leah with a hopeful look, but had to turn away in disappointment when the young Sorlyn shook her head and apologized. Leah simply felt too tired for dancing, although she was more than happy to sit downstairs in the common hall, sip through some of the best wine she had sampled in Amn, and feel elated from the relief and happiness on the faces of the villagers, reminding her that it was not just Imoen that she was helping when she put her life, and the lives of her friends, at risk.

Having met with rejection from Leah, Anomen, much to his credit, refused to show disappointment, instead turning to bow to Nalia, and after some short deliberations, the young mage accepted the invitation. Having danced with Nalia for a while, Anomen also noticed that Aerie was sitting alone and looking a little forlorn, so while Nalia rested her feet, the young Helmite gallantly led the blushing avariel to the dance floor. Nalia had been spun away by another partner soon afterwards, leaving Leah and Viconia sitting at the table alone, sharing the delicious wine in idle conversation while spurning all invitations to dance.

"I truly apologize on Anomen's behalf," Leah said, her eyes twinkling with a mock-apology as she looked at Viconia. "The poor boy's manners are sorely lacking, he never thought to invite you to a lovely dance."

"How will I ever cope with this disappointment," Viconia rolled her eyes, looking at the dancers with clear disdain. "Look at those clumsy fools, no grace, no beauty in their movements... and that music, it is making my ears shrivel from its sheer awfulness."

"I'm sure those parties you attended in the Underdark were far more refined than this," Leah winked at her friend.

"Of course they were," Viconia nodded seriously. "And they culminated with carnal pleasures and at least several murders. I doubt we're going to see much in the way of either," she added with a deep frown, staring across the main hall of the inn to where one of the particularly drunk shepherds was currently busy treating his wife to a few heavy backhanded slaps for having stared at another male patron for a moment too long for the husband's liking.

"I think we should probably do something about that miscreant," Leah sighed, about to rise from her seat and head over to confront the drunkard, but her interruption proved unnecessary. Minsc had returned from escorting Merella to the ranger cabin and he silenced the violent troublemaker with a swift kick to the man's privates that left him doubled up in pain.

"Watching this pathetic display makes me cringe, a woman allowing herself to be treated like that," Viconia shook her head, her eyes narrowing in anger. "I don't think I will ever understand this surfacer notion of marriage. To commit to one person in all manner? It seems a bizarre internment to me, tantamount to slavery."

"I'm sure there are better examples of successful marriages than this drunken villager couple," Leah replied. "Such as... well... such as Khalid and Jaheira," she looked deeply saddened while speaking these words, cautiously glancing around to make sure that the druidess hadn't descended back downstairs.

"Hmph, I'm loathe to give the mongrel any credit, but at least she knew the proper way to keep a male in his place," Viconia chuckled. "In that, their union was not so different from ours, though I don't think Jaheira would take that as a compliment."

"No, I don't think so," Leah smiled, despite herself, still somber from the memory of Khalid, her gentle friend and guardian whom she missed terribly.

"Of course, our customs also allow for husbands to be disposed of and replaced," Viconia continued, laughing when she saw Leah's eyes widening at that. "Yes, don't act so surprised. I have had four husbands during my life in the Underdark... before the fall of House De Vir. I killed each one of them, three for sport, and one for infidelity with my sister. Of them all, my sister's betrayal was the most difficult to deal with... I didn't wish to, but punishment had to be administered. I caught them together, and bound them where they lay. I soaked them in lamp oil and flammable moss and set them ablaze."

"That's terrible!" Leah exclaimed, then stopping from saying anything else, noticing that Viconia was watching her intently. "Could you not have killed them?"

"Not without serious consequences for myself," Viconia shrugged. "Once I had found out the truth, staying my hand would have revealed a major weakness on my part. It would bring the displeasure of Lolth, humiliation by my sisters and fellow priestesses, likely leading to my demise. No, ignoring this transgression was not an option. Mercy has no place in the Underdark."

"I suppose I can't truly blame you for what you did," Leah said quietly. "You did what you had to in order to survive in harsh, unforgiving circumstances."

"Your nonjudgmental attitude continues to increase my respect for you, _abbil_ ," Viconia smiled at her. "But speaking of this notion of marriage, I've noticed that the roles of male and female are reversed here on the surface."

"Well... men don't murder their wives as often as the reversal occurs in the Underdark, but I get your meaning," Leah nodded in agreement.

"So what about you, then?" the Drow asked suddenly, staring at Leah. "Have you ever entertained the notion of marriage?"

"Me?" Leah blinked, taken aback by surprise. "I can't say that I have... not yet, at least. I'm much too young to settle down, there are so many places to travel, so many sights to see yet. Besides, my... heritage adds a complicating factor."

"I understand," Viconia nodded. "But perhaps you simply have no wish to marry a lowly male, little _jalil_? I have not observed this union between two females, so I wonder... do surfacers frown upon such relationships? Is that why you are so vehement in denying your own desires?"

"I... it's... complicated," Leah stuttered, clearly not having expected Viconia's inquiry. It did not help that the Drow was giving her an earnest stare without any hints of mocking or teasing, and since Viconia had shared deeply personal things with her, it felt improper to simply brush her off harshly. "I'm not actually sure whether it is frowned upon or not, I have not researched the issue thoroughly. Perhaps it differs from place to place. That said... I still think that you are off the mark with your insinuations about my... leanings."

"Well, if you ever feel brave enough to discover some things about yourself... I would be happy to provide assistance," Viconia gave her a sultry smile, flipping a lock of her beautiful white hair, then laughing aloud when Leah blushed red like a beet. "Ah, _abbil_ , you are too easy to fluster, you know that, don't you?"

Leah sighed. "Well, I don't have the experience of centuries on how to mess with people's heads," she gave Viconia a half-hearted glare, then unable to stop an escaping yawn, suddenly feeling tired and sleepy from the exhausting travel and all the consumed wine. "I think I will have to stop to being such an easy target to you, my dear Viconia, and finally drag myself to the bed. I'm about to pass out any moment now."

"I believe I shall grab this bottle of wine and join you," Viconia rose from her chair to follow Leah towards the stairs. "We can finish it off together..."

* * *

Anomen's eyes were narrowed with disapproval as he watched how a slightly groggy Leah climbed up the stairs towards her room, supported by that... untrustworthy Sharran witch. Something about Leah's attitude towards him seemed to have changed since the dark elf had joined their crew, and Anomen did not like it one bit. Viconia constantly seemed to be surrounding the young Sorlyn with her presence, robbing Anomen from opportunities to spend more time in conversations with Leah, and when he did manage to speak to her, their leader seemed to regard his opinions and suggestions with less enthusiasm than before the dark elf had joined their ranks.

"You don't like Viconia, do you, Anomen?" he shook himself out of these thoughts at Nalia's question, the young redhead smiling at him innocently.

"No," he shook his head sternly. "I will not hide my dislike for the Sharran. Her place should not be with us."

"I... I agree with Anomen," Aerie nodded, sitting next to the Helmite. "She is cruel and heartless, like all Drow."

"Hmm, I don't know," Nalia shrugged her shoulders. "From what I had heard about the dark elves, I was actually expecting much worse. She doesn't seem overly confrontational."

"I am... concerned about the influence she has upon Lady Leah," Anomen admitted a moment later.

"I understand that they are old acquaintances," Nalia mused thoughtfully. "In comparison, neither of us have spent that much time in Leah's company."

"Perhaps, but... the thought of our leader taking her advice from a Drow worshipper of Shar is... disturbing," Anomen grumbled. "I have already seen Lady Leah acting in a more... callous manner than before."

"Yes, she was rather harsh at times in those temple ruins, wasn't she?" Aerie asked with a slight frown.

"Like I said, neither of us actually knows Leah that well, so how can we know that she's not always like that?" Nalia sighed, starting to look a little exasperated. "Besides, I have no complaints about her actions. As a leader, she bears a great burden of responsibility to get all of us back alive. Practicality sometimes has to take the upper hand over everything else."

"I respectfully disagree, Lady Nalia," Anomen shook his head. "'Tis better to meet an honorable end than to lose your dignity and your principles. It is the first lesson I was taught at the Order, and one that I will never forsake."

"Or maybe there are other reasons why you dislike Viconia spending so much time with Leah," Nalia remarked innocently, causing Anomen's head to snap up as he gave her a confused stare.

"I beg your pardon, my Lady?" he asked, a little dumbfounded.

"Oh, nothing, ignore my words," Nalia smiled disarmingly, then extending her arm to Anomen. "Shall we dance some more, my knight in shining armor?"

Fortunately, Anomen possessed enough common sense to smile back and accept without hesitation.

* * *

The following morning, due to the exhaustion and too much consumed wine, Leah slept in a little. Having noticed that the sun was already high up in the sky, she rushed out of the inn to find a secluded spot where to offer her prayer songs to Milil. She had noticed that Jaheira and Minsc seemed to be the only ones up and awake, sitting at the breakfast table downstairs and chatting with Merella. Leah stopped at the table only for as long as to exchange brief greetings before rushing back upstairs to use the bath facilities and make herself presentable once more.

Dressed in a set of clean clothes and feeling fresh and rejuvenated, Leah returned to her room to gather some of her belongings, chuckling when she noticed that Viconia was still splayed out on her bed, oblivious to the rest of the world. Just then, however, the Drow shifted a little and the blankets partly slipped off from her, revealing that Viconia had not bothered to put on her evening wear, instead sleeping in the nude. Leah felt her mouth becoming uncomfortably dry as she watched the ebony skin of Viconia's back glistening invitingly in the rays of the morning sun. The blanket had slipped down as low as the dark elf's hips, and Leah was briefly caught struggling with an immature desire to pull it even lower than that, stopping herself with sheer force of will. Eventually, she forced her eyes away, trying to refocus on the tasks at hand, and attempting not to think any more on whether Viconia's skin was truly as soft and silky smooth as it appeared to be.

Leah sat down at the breakfast table to enjoy the meal that Vincenzo had brought out for her swiftly and free of charge as gratitude for their heroic deeds, and fortunately her heretical thoughts regarding Viconia quickly began to drift away as she listened to Jaheira and Merella talking, Minsc now and then butting in with some nugget of wisdom from Boo. "Mmm, this is really delicious," Leah said a while later, licking her lips and looking very content. "I would have never thought to have lentil soup for breakfast, but it's good, and this rye bread with eggs and radishes... divine!"

"Well, sometimes Vincenzo actually does care to serve a decent meal," Merella smiled at her. "Unfortunately, it seems like you have to throw your life in deadly peril for him to appreciate you enough."

"He is a crafty fellow, indeed," Leah grinned, then turning towards Jaheira. "So, I was thinking... our business here seems to be concluded." The druidess nodded back at her. "All that is left for us is to wrap things up with the mayor and the ogres, sell some of our haul to the local merchants and bid farewells to Merella. I was thinking that we should sell some of the more cumbersome things to the locals, and bring the rest to Trademeet. I think we should be able to get a better price from the merchants in Trademeet, wouldn't you agree?"

"I agree completely," Jaheira smiled approvingly. "I will go over our inventory and sort out what should be sold to the local vendors."

"Let's do that together later because right now I wanted you to take Minsc and go have a chat with Madulf," Leah said. "I don't think I have to worry about either of you antagonizing those likable deserters. Just... try to find out whether they are happy to deal with the village and protect the locals. Get a sense of their intentions."

"Understood," Jaheira replied. "I take it that you intend to visit Minister Lloyd."

"That's the idea," Leah smiled. "Time to turn on the charm and see how much gold flows into the Imoen Rescue fund..."

"Don't harbor too high hopes," Merella rolled her eyes. "Lloyd is a well known cheapskate. He'll try to bedazzle you with flattery and compliments, but to receive actual gold from him will be... a tough task to accomplish. I could accompany you and see that you are not shortchanged."

"It would be appreciated, Merella," Leah smiled at the half-elven ranger.

"And what about me, am I welcomed as well?" Leah jumped a little, startled from hearing Viconia's voice so close to her ear. She turned to look at the Drow, finding Viconia smiling teasingly at her, looking as annoyingly and enviably perfect as ever.

"Sure, but don't you wish to have some breakfast first?" Leah asked.

In response, Viconia leaned closer and put her hand on top of Leah's, the light contact robbing the girl of breath, forcing her to release the hunk of rye bread she had been holding. Viconia immediately used Leah's distraction to swipe away the bread along with the last remaining hard-boiled egg. "I think this should tide me over for a few hours," the Drow grinned irrepressibly, thoroughly enjoying Leah's befuddlement.

"Next time, remind me not to save any Drow damsels in distress, Jaheira," Leah sighed as she looked at the druidess while Viconia merely grinned victoriously and began to feast upon Leah's unfinished breakfast. Jaheira's eyes traveled from Leah to Viconia and back with a thoughtful expression on her face before together with Minsc she stood up from the table and departed, leaving the other three to head over to Minister Lloyd's house.

* * *

"Hmph," Leah scowled, looking at the tiny pouch of coins that Minister Lloyd had just handed to her, together with plenty of apologies for being unable to provide a more substantial reward. The mayor's argument that he had already spent most of the funds in order to hire other mercenary groups, including that of the late Mazzy Fentan, rang false to Leah's ears. _I have never heard of anyone paying adventurers upfront. Certainly, nobody has ever done that with us..._ "I do not wish to be rude, Minister Lloyd, but... one hundred gold coins does not seem like an adequate reward for our accomplishments. Are you truly certain that there is no way you could spare a little more? It would be for a good cause."

"Come now, Minister," Merella cut in, scowling at the red-faced mayor, beads of sweat running down his face. "Without Leah and her friends, we all might have perished by now. Do you truly think that eventually the shadows wouldn't have come for you as well?"

"I... well, I suppose that is true..." Lloyd admitted shakily, wiping the sweat away from his brow, his stubbly little legs carrying him over to a wardrobe at the far end of the room. The portly mayor spent some time digging through the shelves until finally he retrieved a tightly wrapped bundle and brought it back to his three expectant visitors. "This is an armor that belonged to a former ranger-protector of the Umar Hills, one of my own ancestors. It is made of the finest leather you will find anywhere, making it as sturdy as a plate armor!"

Leah quickly undid the straps on the bundle and unwrapped it, revealing a beautiful, soft set of dark leathers, radiating strong protective magic. She did not even need to have it examined by a mage to realize that this armor was worth a great deal in gold. "Hold on a moment, _abbil_ ," Viconia suddenly interjected, having kept quiet so far. "This... feels very familiar," the dark elf spoke, approaching to run her hands over the soft leathers. "Yes... just as I suspected," she nodded thoughtfully. "This set of armor has been blessed by Shar herself... I can feel it, there can be no mistake."

"It seems like this ancestor of yours had a secret or two, mayor," Merella gave the squirming Lloyd a harsh stare. "This is the first time I have heard of a Shar-worshipping ranger-protector."

"I... uh... yes, I... did not want that to come to light... for obvious reasons," Lloyd was truly sweating like a pig now, dabbing his face with a dirty looking handkerchief.

"I'm a little shocked that you would let such an impressive set of leathers going to waste in your wardrobe instead of giving it to your current ranger-protector," Leah sighed her head in disbelief. "She risks her life for your village daily, and she deserves the best protection you could afford." Leah turned towards Merella, holding the armor out for her. "My friend, if you want to use these leathers, then they shall be yours."

"No, thank you," Merella shook her head, smiling. "I would have considered it, but now that I know they have been blessed by Shar... well, I do not think that Mielikki would approve of me wearing something touched by the darkness."

"Viconia, would you like it, in that case?" Leah turned towards the Drow.

"Are you certain, _abbil_?" Viconia cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "It would bring in a lot of gold for us."

"We don't simply need gold, we also have to be well equipped," Leah replied with a smile. "Just take it and wear it in good health."

"Then I shall wear it with gratitude, my friend," Viconia smiled, smoothing out the leathers and then donning them over the casual blue tunic she was wearing. "So, do you like it, little _jalil_?" she asked, posing a little seductively as she faced Leah.

"Uh... yes, I... as long as it does its job in protecting you," Leah managed, struggling to take her eyes away from the Drow. The dark leather armor seemed to only enhance Viconia's supple, flattering curves in a way that a plate armor could never do. _Not that I would ever be so vain to want Viconia wearing something skimpy just so that I could feast my eyes on her curves. It's all about providing adequate protection to keep her alive. Yes, that's exactly it. Wait... did I just admit to myself that I find her attractive? Argh, by Milil... I suppose I did... didn't I?_

"Oh, it will do its job, don't you worry about that," Viconia grinned confidently, doing some light stretching to test the flexibility she had in this leather armor, leaving her looking incredibly pleased with her new acquisition. "If we are done here, shall we return to the inn?" she asked a moment later.

"Yes, let's do that," Leah said, turning to lead them out of the mayor's house, but then thinking of something and halting suddenly, making Viconia bump into her softly. "Minister Lloyd, if you would like to do something to thank me personally for aiding your village in a way that will not cost you a large amount of gold, I have a proposition for you."

"Of course, Lady Leah, I would be happy to consider your suggestion," Lloyd nodded at her humbly.

"As a reward for our help, you could erect a shrine to Milil, my patron deity, in the village," Leah said, pulling out the holy symbol of her god, five-stringed harp made of silver leaves, hanging in a chain around her neck. "I imagine that you are familiar with Milil?"

"I am, and he is looked upon favorably in our settlement, let me assure you," Lloyd bowed to her reverently. "We will do as you suggest, my Lady. Perhaps our new friends, the ogres, would like to help and make the shrine even more impressive... it would be a truly fitting monument to the cooperation that you have arranged and inspired."

"That would please me greatly, mayor," Leah smiled, finally turning around and heading towards the exit. "Now, let's make our final preparations and then say farewells to Merella... Trademeet awaits us!"

* * *

Even with horses, the group of seven did not manage to reach the city of Trademeet by nightfall, having to make a camp in a clearing next to the Trade Way. Certainly, the fact that they only managed to depart Imnesvale in late afternoon contributed heavily to this delay, something that Jaheira was all too keen on reminding Leah. Still, it hadn't been exactly down to Leah's fault because she had been forced to wait for Jaheira and Minsc to return from the meeting with Madulf, her ranger friend bringing back a gift from the ogres, a very impressive enchanted shield which Leah quickly claimed as her own.

While those who had slept in late began to stir and ready themselves for the road, Leah, Jaheira and Viconia were busy doing inventory of their loot, Leah pleasantly surprised that the druidess did not offer any complaints about the Drow being involved in their work. The heavier enchanted weapons and armor were sold to the local merchants, at an obvious discount price since the traders obviously realized that they weren't going to carry the items with them to Trademeet. Still, once everything had been put together and accounted for, Leah's money pouch had become two thousand and five hundred gold heavier, a substantial addition to the seven thousand that were resting in a strongbox back at the D'Arnise Keep. The rest of their haul had been split up into two bags for Anomen and Minsc to carry with them to Trademeet.

Finally, before setting out on the road to Trademeet, they all gathered to say farewells to Merella. They had all become rather fond of the pleasant half-elven ranger, making a new friend and ally in her, and Leah even regretted a little that Merella felt such a duty to protecting the people of Imnesvale. The half-elf seemed like a practical and level-headed person that Leah would have welcomed in her group, but as it was, Merella's place was with the people of Umar Hills. Still, their parting was amicable and filled with promises that should Leah ever have any dealings in the area, Merella would always answer her call for aid.

Now, during the middle of the night, Leah had just woken Nalia to pass over the guard duties to the sleepy looking redhead, the young Sorlyn getting into her tent and crawling under the blankets there. It didn't take long for Leah to start falling asleep, aided by the soothing stillness and silence of the night. She did hear some slight shuffling nearby, but did not think anything of it, assuming that Nalia was simply walking around a little to keep herself awake, or having retreated into the bushes for a brief moment to answer the call of the nature. It certainly came as a surprise to suddenly hear a scream before a complete and utter chaos erupted outside around the campfire.

Leah felt almost like paralyzed for the next few moments, eventually recovering and scrambling for her weapons before stumbling out of the tent to face a disturbing view. The campsite was surrounded by at least a half-dozen well armed bandits, Nalia's prone body lying on the ground at the feet of one of the attackers, blood oozing from a shallow wound on her temples. Two of the bandits had seized an unarmored Jaheira, the druidess dressed only in her sleeping tunic, a sharp knife pressed against her exposed throat, but even that failed to discourage the half-elf from thrashing and struggling violently.

"Hey there," the apparent leader of the bandits, holding the knife against Jaheira's throat, spoke cheerfully. "Rise and shine! Oh, I hope I didn't disturb ye. My, but yer a bunch of sound sleepers. Did'nay hear the approach of us wee little bandits and now look at the mess yer in..."


	23. Chapter 23

Leah tried to quickly shake off her surprise and take stock of the situation, though somehow her response came slow, likely paralyzed by fear when she recalled that the last time when their camp had been ambushed like this, they had ended up in the care of Irenicus. In any case, their situation was unenviable, Nalia was unconscious and Jaheira had been taken hostage, much to the druidess' astonishment. Anomen had emerged from his tent dressed only in a tunic, carrying the Flail of Ages and the shield with his family crest, but thankfully he had not engaged the bandits, merely glaring at them, Aerie, also not dressed for battle, covering behind the Helmite. Viconia was skulking behind one of the tents, the bandits had somehow managed to miss her completely, but with Jaheira being held by the ambushers it was a difficult advantage to exploit. Leah's greatest concern was with Minsc, worrying that the ranger might lose his already slim composure and wildly throw himself into the melee, leading to bandits slitting Jaheira's throat. Fortunately, she managed to attract Minsc's attention while he was brandishing the Sword of Chaos at the bandits, one gesture making his shoulders slump and anger fade as he lowered his weapon and faced Leah with an expectant stare, waiting for a sign when he would be allowed to kick the bandit's butts.

"Get your hands off me!" Jaheira raged, still struggling, a little unwisely, causing the knife to nick her throat a little, drawing blood. "So help me I'll..."

"Easy there, ye crazy druid," the bandit leader growled, pressing the knife a little tighter against Jaheira's throat and the druidess fortunately decided to stop struggling. "And ye, stay right where ye are," he barked at Leah, the young priestess having taken a couple of steps towards them. "Mayhap ye should wipe the sleep from yer eyes to see me little friend, a sharp little number right at this here lassie's throat. I would 'nay want to... slip..."

"Right, let's not do anything rash," Leah tried amicably, stalling for time. She did not like their odds at all, especially with a pair of bandit archers standing at the edge of the camp with their bows ready and aimed. If they were decent shots then this close they would not miss their shots and Leah did not want to take a chance by betting on them being poor marksmen. Without wearing their armor, a single arrow could kill anyone in their ranks, and she found such risks unacceptable. "I'm sure we can talk this through like reasonable people."

"Yes, let's do just that," the leader of the bandits shot her a dirty stare. "I'll start. Ye'll be handing over what valuables ye have and then we'll be going on our way. We get what we want and ye get... well, perhaps we just get what we want. That's good enough for me."

Leah paused for a moment, deep in thought. Certainly, losing their hard earned coins would sting, but it was not like she had many options other than gambling with the lives of her friends. And she could not lose Jaheira, she needed the druidess more than she needed the gold or any trinkets. "Fine," she finally said reluctantly, ignoring the disbelieving stare that Jaheira gave her. "Release her, and I'll fetch the gold for you. It is in my tent."

"Ye will stand still where ye are, lass," the grizzled bandit snarled at her. "And I'll just keep me grip on the lassie here until me boys have finished their work." He nodded at one of the bandits. "Kracer, check the tent and be quick about it." One of the younger bandits crawled into Leah's tent, emerging shortly afterwards with two heavy pouches of gold. "Well, that looks like a darn good haul, indeed!" the leader looked mightily pleased, giving Leah a broad grin that was missing most of its teeth. "Glad ye decided being reasonable about all this."

"Can you release her now?" Leah demanded, starting to grow frustrated. The knife was starting to press into Jaheira's throat again, leaving another angry red line of blood drops.

"Not before we've relieved ye of some of those fine looking weapons and armor," the disgusting wretch of a bandit chuckled, thoroughly enjoying himself. His underlings spread out through the camp to resume looting, one snapping up Leah's new shield and then fishing out Viconia's fancy leather armor from her tent, another one searching through Anomen's tent and stumbling upon the bag of knickknacks they had intended to sell in Trademeet, then taking away the Flail of Ages from the Helmite, Anomen reluctantly relinquishing his weapon. At least nobody had dared to approach Minsc and confiscate his weapon, the bandits wisely staying out of the reach of the Sword of Chaos.

"You have what you want," Leah snarled angrily, noticing how Minsc tensed immediately, expecting the order to attack. "Now release Jaheira!"

"Fine, fine... just let us make sure ye dinnae get any ideas..." the scum of a bandit grinned, moving as if to release the druidess, but then quickly delivering a vicious blow to her temples, the half-elf slumping to the ground with a quiet moan. "Right, boys, let's be off!" And with that, the group of bandits quickly retreated back into the forest from which they had emerged, Minsc still staring at Leah with dismay when the order to attack did not come.

"Viconia, help me!" Leah exclaimed quickly, rushing over to where Jaheira and Nalia lay side by side. She quickly rolled the druidess onto her back, relieved to see that Jaheira was breathing, though she had not regained her consciousness, Viconia swiftly checking up on Nalia nearby. A couple of healing spells later, both women slowly began to stir, eventually opening their eyes. Anomen quickly offered a healing potion to Nalia, the young mage quickly gulping down its contents, Leah holding out another potion for Jaheira, but the druidess merely grunted and refused to accept it.

"Minsc is confused, little Leah," the large ranger exclaimed loudly, coming closer to them. "We are allowing the naughty bandits to escape with our gold? This is not right, no sir, not right at all!"

"I assume that you have a plan and this was not just a dashing display of bravery," Jaheira gave her a searching look that bordered on disapproval.

"Hey, I wasn't going to let them cut your throat, that was always going to be my most important consideration," Leah replied defensively. "But now that you mentioned it... yes, I do have a plan."

"Well, that is good to hear," Jaheira nodded, propping herself up on her elbows and then gingerly rising back to her feet, holding her head in her hands with a grimace of pain on her face. "Do share... this plan... with us..." she finished slowly, still looking winded.

"Yes, _abbil_ , and make it good," Viconia looked at her expectantly. "They took my new armor, and I am none too pleased about that."

"They took the flail as well," Anomen added, looking deeply disappointed.

"What? The Flail of Ages?" all wooziness was gone instantly from Nalia's countenance, replaced with anger and disbelief. "We must get it back! Leah, this is not right!"

"Yes, yes, I get it, already," Leah sighed, shaking her head. "You people really don't seem to have a lot of faith in me, do you?"

"I have faith in you, Leah," Aerie spoke up with a kind and timid smile.

"Thank you, Aerie... at least there is someone," Leah chuckled. "But yes, we are going to track down these bandits and take our belongings back."

"How are we going to find them in the forest, my Lady?" Anomen asked. "They are long gone by now, at least a half-mile away!"

"I doubt that they have gone all that far," Leah replied. "I strongly suspect that they are locals and probably have a hideout somewhere nearby."

"What makes you think so, Leah?" Nalia asked.

Leah opened her mouth to reply, but Jaheira cut in first. "Of course... the horses!" the druidess exclaimed in realization. "Horses are extremely valuable, and yet they showed no interest in stealing them. Which means that they had no use for horses and that would only be true if they had a hideout nearby, as Leah suggested."

"Exactly so," the young Sorlyn nodded. "I'm amazed you figured that out after getting clobbered on the head like that."

"Maybe that blow actually made her smarter," Viconia quipped, but Jaheira merely sighed at that, not even bothering to return a similar verbal barb.

"But how are we going to find those bandits in the forest, my Lady?" Anomen asked.

"We're going to employ the best tracking hound one could ever wish for," Leah grinned broadly, turning towards Jaheira. "This is where you get to show off, my dear Jaheira..."

"Ah," the druidess realized slowly. "Of course. Yes, I should be able to help. A sound plan, Leah," she finally gave the young priestess an approving nod. "Once again, cooler heads will prevail. You show admirable restraint and wisdom."

"Thank you," Leah blushed at the unexpected but welcomed praise.

"What is Jaheira going to... -oh!" Aerie began to ask, then cutting herself short as she noticed the druidess' shape beginning to blur, the half-elf dropping on all fours as fur quickly began to cover her entire body and moments later, a large, grey wolf stood before them, wasting no time in starting to circle the campsite, sniffing around and trying to pick up the scent. "Oh my... I... hadn't expected that!" the avariel gasped, looking both awed and surprised.

"Yes, as you can clearly see, I'm not actually wrong when calling her a bitch," Viconia chuckled, then jumping a little when the large grey wolf barred its fangs at her threateningly. The Jaheira-wolf then bent down to sniff the ground where one of the bandit archers had stood, sniffing and scratching for a long while as the others all waited with bated breath. Eventually, the grey wolf sat down on its haunches and let out a howl, pointing at the forest to indicate having picked up the trail.

"Right, everyone, grab your remaining gear and get ready," Leah ordered swiftly, donning her chainmail. "Nalia," she turned towards the young mage, looking at her expectantly. "We need someone to remain with the horses, and you did take that blow to the head."

"But I feel fine!" Nalia protested. "And they have the flail..."

"It shall be recovered, my Lady, I swear it upon my honor," Anomen bowed with flourish.

"What Anomen said," Lean nodded. "The task that I'm giving to you is equally important." Nalia frowned at that, but eventually acquiesced with a resigned sigh. Jaheira-wolf let out another howl, telling them all to hurry up. "Right, let's start moving," Leah chuckled, bending down and scratching the large grey wolf behind its ears. "It seems as if our guide is starting to get impatient..."

* * *

"Really, a bandit cave? How quaint," Leah chuckled quietly, together with her friends peering from the thick underbrush at the group of bandits celebrating loudly around a bonfire at the mouth of a cavern. Booze was flowing freely as the six bastards cheerfully divided their spoils, delighting at the unexpectedly impressive haul.

"What are we waiting for, my Lady?" Anomen whispered, lying next to her in the bushes. "Let us teach these degenerates a lesson!"

"Let's just wait a little bit more," Leah replied calmly, continuing to watch the boisterous bandits. With all of them missing one or more pieces of their gear, Leah really did not want to take chances, deciding to wait until the bandits became even more distracted and drunk.

"I approve of caution, but you are taking it a little too far, _abbil_ ," Viconia sighed nearby, sounding impatient as well.

"Calm down, everyone, we'll attack soon... Minsc, start getting ready," Leah said, looking over at the large ranger, conversing quietly with Boo, the wise hamster probably distracting Minsc from doing something that would alert the bandits. Minsc was also the only one who had retained all of his equipment, and so the plan was to simply send the enraged Rashemi to make a mincemeat out of the bandits while the rest of them did what they could to support him and make sure that none of their opponents slipped away.

As Minsc nodded back at her with a frightening grin on his lips, Leah turned her head to regard the large grey wolf lying next to her, patiently resting its muzzle on its front paws. "So I'm guessing you'll join us like this, hmm?" the young Sorlyn grinned, scratching the large animal behind its ears some more. "Would you perhaps like some belly rubs as well, cutie?" she asked teasingly. In reply, the Jaheira-wolf simply raised her hind leg as if intending to pee on Leah, the young priestess rolling away and bumping into the surprised Anomen, then glaring at the wolf who seemed to be snickering.

"Right, I think we're just going to give ourselves away if we wait any longer," Leah sighed, looking at Minsc again. "Go, go, Minsc and Boo, give those bandits taste of steel!"

With a fearsome Rashemi battle cry, Minsc leapt from the bushes and charged the stunned bandits, completely taken by surprise as a screaming, tattooed madman swinging a massive sword fell into their midst, hacking left and right, sprays of blood and severed limbs flying around the campsite as Minsc's savage fury knew no restraint.

The bandits were unable to put up any meaningful resistance at this barbaric onslaught. Only their leader was still standing, trying to dodge Minsc's wild swings, most of his fellows already dead or bleeding out, screaming and limbless. The bandit leader seemingly could not decide whether to try and fight Minsc or turn around to flee. In the end, common sense prevailed and he turned to run, but at that moment, a silvery shape bolted across the campsite, fast as an arrow, and leapt towards the bandit leader, the large grey wolf mercilessly tearing out the man's throat, showers of blood and gore erupting from the man's ruptured larynx.

In less than a minute, the six bandits had met a very violent and bloody end, the screams of the injured fading quickly as they bled out from the brutal injuries inflicted by Minsc's sword. The ranger himself was standing in the middle of the campsite, his sword raised as he breathed heavily, Leah quickly realizing that he had truly went into one of his battle rages. "Minsc? Minsc!" she approached the large man slowly, anxiously ordering the others to stay away. "Minsc, can you hear me?" she tried again. "Minsc, they're all dead. We have won the day. You can lower your sword... please?" she made a soothing gesture with her hand, trying to show him that it was safe to lower his weapon.

Minsc turned to look at her, still a wild look in his narrowed eyes, but the longer he stared at Leah, the more she could see comprehension slowly dawning in his eyes again. "It's me, Minsc, your little Leah, remember?" she tried again soothingly, and this time she finally got through, Minsc lowering his weapon and smiling at her, though he still looked more confused than usually.

"Little Leah!" Minsc exclaimed cheerfully, then raising a hand to touch his forehead. "Oooh... Minsc does not feel right at all... head is all woozy. Boo is telling me... to sit down and rest a little... Boo always knows what's best for Minsc," the ranger said, slowly sitting down on the ground and gratefully accepting the canteen of water that Aerie offered to him.

"Well... that was unpleasant, but at least we should have all our belongings back," Jaheira spoke, having finally shed her wolf form, remaining dressed only in her very short sleeping tunic, that as Leah noticed, Anomen had trouble taking his eyes off, the young Helmite blushing furiously all the time.

"True enough..." Leah admitted, then glaring at the slightly startled looking druidess. "That was a very irresponsible stunt you pulled off there, Jaheira. I'm disappointed with you... to jump into the fray like that when Minsc has gone berserk? You should know better than to do that."

"I simply had to kill that filthy bog slime," Jaheira spat in the direction of the dead bandit leader. "Besides, I am safe and unharmed, so I do not understand why you are making a fuss."

"Oh, if I had done something like that, you'd be chewing me out for three days straight," Leah challenged, placing her hands on her hips.

"Of course I would," Jaheira replied matter-of-factly, then brushing off any further attempts at conversation, instead walking up to the gore covered campsite and starting to dig around to recover what had been stolen from them. "I could do with help from someone who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty," she called out to the rest of the group.

"I shall help you, Jaheira," Viconia offered, surprisingly amicably. "Digging through the guts of our slain enemies will bring back some delightful memories."

After some hesitation, Anomen decided to join them, while Aerie took one look at the state of the campsite, turned a little green and returned to Minsc's side, taking care of the large ranger as he recovered from exhaustion following the battle rage he had unleashed upon their enemies. With Leah joining the search for their belongings, the grim task was completed soon enough and the silent group of six quickly returned to Nalia, guarding their old campsite, hoping to catch at least a few uninterrupted hours of sleep until the break of the morning light.

* * *

Leah and her friends reached the city of Trademeet on early noon of the following day, having spent the morning traveling in high spirits. They had managed to not only recover their own belongings, but had also found a cache of gold that the bandits had looted earlier, and it had held as much as five hundred gold coins.

However, their good mood changed abruptly as they arrived at the gates of Trademeet, discovering a city under siege, its sturdy stone walls standing, but the usually welcoming gates all clogged with makeshift barricades. And even if there currently were no hostile confrontations taking place, evidence of recent attacks was as plain as day, an overturned merchant caravan having nearly made it to the city gates, the merchants and their guards all slain, corpses lying side by side with the slaughtered wild animals and the occasional city militia guard that had abandoned the safety of the barricades and rushed to help the merchants. The corpses all looked very fresh, less than an hour old, and it seemed as if the guards at this gate had not received any reinforcements yet, the man peering at them from the top of the barricades looking very nervous, still nursing a bleeding arm and sporting deep scratches on his left cheek.

"Tymora be blessed, you don't look like wild animals," the man eventually gave them a relieved stare. "Or wild druids..."

"Nope, no druids in this group, no sir," Leah shook her head, winking subtly at Jaheira. They had discussed everything prior to their arrival, all of them agreeing that since druids were likely to be deeply unpopular in Trademeet, Jaheira should do her best to hide her affiliation with her tree-hugging fellows. Fortunately, wearing her chainmail, the half-elf looked more like a stern, seasoned warrior woman than a druid who generally abhorred using anything fashioned from metal, even if Leah struggled to understand how something that was harnessed from the land itself could be considered unnatural.

"What about the fellow with the tattooed head?" the eagle-eyed guard turned to face Minsc who in turn raised Boo towards the guard, letting the hamster take a good look. "Are you a druid, good sir?"

"Minsc and Boo are rangers, not druids!" Minsc bellowed back, startling the guard and almost making him tumble down from the barricade. "Well... no, actually, only Minsc is a ranger! Boo is my trusty animal companion, a miniature giant space hamster!"

"I, uh... see," the guard did not look very reassured at that. "Well, I... suppose rangers are still welcomed, if frowned upon. But strangers, I ask of you... this is not a good time to visit Trademeet. What brings you to our troubled city?"

"We are responding to a call for aid to help deal with the problems that plague Trademeet," Leah explained. "And we would very much like to enter the city and speak with someone in charge who could explain to us exactly what is going on here..."

"Ah, adventurers, coming to aid us! Well, I hope you'll have better luck than some of the previous groups," the guard rolled his eyes and climbed down from the barricades. "Just let me move some of this junk aside so that you can pass... at least it keeps most of those crazed animals out..."

With Anomen and Minsc helping the sole able-bodied guard on the other side of the barricades to push aside some of the heavy crates, they were finally able to enter the city proper. It seemed as if the animal attacks had not managed to push inside into the city itself, but they had created something of a veritable blockade around Trademeet. Inside, the city appeared almost unsettlingly quiet and peaceful, although there were many signs that the normal pattern of life had been disrupted. A small infirmary had been set up near the gate, and Leah could see two priests of Waukeen hovering over a fallen guardswoman who sounded as if she was in great distress. The nearby marketplace had only one or two vendors peddling fresh bread and vegetables, but most of the market square was occupied by a Rom encampment, the gypsies who were usually forced to stay outside the walls of any city. To Leah, seeing them allowed inside during these dangerous times spoke well about the mayor of the city, whoever the man was. There were also a few larger tents behind the Rom camp that seemed like they did not belong in the whole picture, feeling rather out of place, but Leah had no time to wonder about that now.

The helpful guard had explained that they wanted to go and see the High Merchant Logan Coprith, the fair man in charge of the city, but before heading there, Leah decided to split up her group, not wanting to storm the mayor's house with a well armed group of seven adventurers and causing a misunderstanding. In the end, Nalia, Aerie and Minsc received an important mission of their own, to head to the nearby Vyatri's pub and secure rooms for the night, Leah expecting that their stay in the area might prove to be a lengthy one.

Logan Coprith proved to be a decent and honorable man, someone who had made a career in military before it had fallen upon his wealthy family to provide a mayor for the city, and until this unexpected trouble, he had done a splendid job in governing Trademeet. The mayor was now under a lot of pressure from the locals, especially the more influential mercantile families, to resolve this crisis as quickly as possible, but it was proving to be a difficult task. Certainly, it seemed as if the druids were behind these attacks, causing the very nature to attack Trademeet, but nobody was able to explain what might have caused the usually good relationship with the nearby druid grove to sour so badly that their old allies would suddenly attack them, seemingly for no reason.

Recently, however, the city militia had succeeded in capturing one of the druids who seemed to have been directing the attacks on Trademeet, one of several figures lurking behind the charging and snarling animals. Only Mayor Coprith's intervention had saved the man from being drawn and quartered, now locked up in the basement prison cells in the mayor's house. The situation was made even more interesting by the druid's insistence of having come here to investigate these attacks, and by the Mayor Coprith's admission that he was leaning towards believing the captured druid. So, the task presented to Leah was to escort this man to his task and help him investigate the local druids who for some reason seemed to have gone completely mad.

Leah was loathe to agree to the task until she had spoken to this druid herself and had developed an impression on how trustworthy the man was, Coprith kindly granting her access to the basement cells to speak with the prisoner. On their way there, Leah bumped into a very impatient looking middle aged woman who barely seemed to have time to accept Leah's apology. However, her expression changed when she noticed Anomen at the back of the group, seemingly trying to shrink down in size.

"Anomen Delryn? You are Cor's son, are you not?" the woman asked with a stern glare.

"Yes, Lady Busya," Anomen nodded meekly, turning to look at the surprised Leah. "Lady Busya is the merchant's guildmistress of Trademeet," he explained. "Years ago, I accompanied my father on business trips to Trademeet... back when his brain had not been thoroughly soaked in alcohol. But I... I should not speak of him so. I apologize."

"Indeed, you should use much harsher language when describing your father, young Anomen," the guildmistress snapped, hands placed on her hips as she glared at the ashamed looking Helmite. "Perhaps you would care to inform me when your father intends to pay for the last three deliveries? I have already sent several reminders and informed him that he will not receive another shipment until the debt has been settled in full. Six hundred gold coins is not a small amount, Delryn, not even for me."

"I'm afraid I can't speak for my father, my Lady," Anomen replied apologetically. "I rejected my inheritance and all material possessions when I joined the Order of the Radiant Heart."

"Does that mean you have renounced your family?" Busya challenged. "When I send the debt collectors to Athkatla... and it will be done soon, it won't be just your father who will suffer. I understand that your sister is still a part of the household."

Anomen blushed an angry shade of red. "My sister is innocent in all this!" he protested vehemently. "My Lady, I must insist... nay, I must plead to your good conscience not to do something that would hurt Moira. She is... such a fragile and gentle soul, she does not deserve to suffer for our father's sins."

"Hmm..." Busya appeared to be deep in thought. "Well... I am not a heartless monster, Anomen Delryn. Perhaps we can come to some kind of agreement. There might be a way for you to help your family... and for me to get what I am due."

"What are you thinking of, my Lady?" Anomen asked guardedly.

"Since you spoke with Coprith, I assume that you are here to deal with the druid situation," Busya spoke, giving the group a scrutinizing stare, Leah nodding as the woman's eyes fell on her. "Unfortunately, it is not the only crisis that we currently face. No doubt you already noticed the empty marketplace."

"It did seem a little odd, even with this veritable blockade," Leah agreed. "But I imagine that the merchant caravans are staying away from Trademeet until the trouble with the druids is resolved."

"Indeed, and those who do make it here, sell their entire stock to the Dao djinn and immediately move on," Busya sighed, chuckling wryly when she noticed the surprised faces of the others. "Yes, I did not misspeak, there are Dao djinn in Trademeet. They have already purchased everything there was to sell in Trademeet, and with seemingly unlimited amounts of gold in their pockets, they are simply buying up everything. That is the reason why the trade in our fair city has dried up completely, rendering my position and my title meaningless."

"What are the Dao djinn doing so far north in Trademeet?" Jaheira blinked, expressing their collective astonishment.

"They are looking for someone," the guildmistress explained. "Some sort of a magical creature named Ihtafeer... I believe it is some kind of a shape-changer. Rakshasa, yes, now I remember..."

"A rakshasa? Are you quite sure?" Leah asked quietly, stealing a quick glance at the flail hanging at Anomen's hip. _Goodness, I hope it has not been drawn here by the presence of the flail. Nalia did say that reassembling it might reawaken the old magic that could attract its previous owners..._

"Yes, I am quite certain that the djinn mentioned a rakshasa," Busya nodded. "They did not elaborate why they were after this Ihtafeer, but they claimed to have become tired and bored of the chase. So, instead they have decided to paralyze our trade and make us suffer until we chase down this Ihtafeer for them. Together with the animal attacks, this makes our situation... untenable."

"So, you would like us to track down this Ihtafeer for you? Is that the gist of your suggestion?" Leah stated firmly.

"That would be the general idea, indeed," the guildmistress scoffed at the girl's tone.

"Leah, this woman is trying to rob us even more shamelessly than those bandits the previous night," Viconia snarled, arms crossed on her chest as she glared at Busya. "She is losing more coin daily than the measly six hundred gold that the _iblith's_ family owes her."

"I am aware of that," Leah nodded, fixing a hard stare at the guildmistress who was starting to look deeply uncomfortable. "I think that we are entitled to a larger restitution for the completion of this task."

"I... fine, I will see that you are amply rewarded," Busya finally caved in. "If you can find this Ihtafeer, which I seriously doubt, you will receive plenty of riches in gold and jewels. And now... excuse me, but I must go," she said hastily, looking to be in a hurry to get away. "There is plenty for me to do to keep this city from falling apart from the inside..."

"What an unpleasant woman," Leah shook her head, looking after the retreating guildmistress, then turning towards the silent and subdued looking Anomen. "I'm sorry about that, Anomen. She had no right to bring up that unpleasantness in front of all of us."

"You are too kind, Leah, for it is I who should be apologizing," Anomen replied quietly. "If not for the sins of my father, Guildmistress Busya would be offering you an even larger reward that could be put towards the rescue of your childhood friend. I feel... like being a burden for you, my Lady."

"Nonsense, Anomen, you could never be a burden," Leah smiled at the young Helmite, patting him on the shoulder before turning around and ignoring the frowns on Jaheira and Viconia's faces as she started towards the stairs leading down to the basement and the prison cells.

The two guards downstairs parted before them to reveal the prisoner, a middle-aged man with a long, grey mane that seemed to be pleading to be introduced to a hairbrush. His face was painted with some kind of druidic ornaments, his leather armor and his entire clothing adorned with feathers, and every little thing about him seemed to be screaming 'Look, I'm a druid!' even more clearly as if he had tattooed those words upon his forehead.

Cernd, for it was the druid's name, proceeded to explain the situation and his discoveries to Leah and her group. He had been sent from the north of the Heartlands to investigate why the druidic order of this region had severed its ties with the traditional hierarchy. Unfortunately, he had not managed to conduct his investigations for long before being captured by the Trademeet militia, a slightly embarrassing feat, considering the pathetic and demoralized state of the city guard.

Leah had difficulties forming an opinion of the man from their brief talk. He appeared harmless enough, but at the same time, there was something about his seemingly countless nature metaphors that irked Leah a little bit. And while she was still making up her mind about the grey-haired druid, Cernd decided to make a particularly bad faux pas. "I think I remember seeing you before..." he said thoughtfully, looking at Jaheira who stared back at him with a blank expression on her face. "Jaheira, is it not? Yes, I recall you from the summer solstice celebrations at the Larswood shrine twelve years ago..." The prison guards suddenly looked very interested upon hearing this information, giving Jaheira a deeply scrutinizing stare and making Leah facepalm inwardly. "You must be concerned about these events as well. Surely you know all about the danger of balance lost."

"What has happened here does concern me, yes," Jaheira replied uneasily, frowning a little at having her cover blown, but there was nothing to do about it now other than to hope that the guards would keep their mouths shut. "I have had dealings with the Trademeet grove before and the local druids were all reasonable. I cannot imagine they would approve of this... unless..."

"Unless what?" Viconia barked impatiently.

"Unless there has been a change in leadership," Cernd finished dramatically. "It is our task to find this new leader and ascertain whether they are for the best of nature. Their actions so far seem to contradict this."

"I understand that you would like to join forces with my group," Leah remarked neutrally, receiving a nod from Cernd. "Well... that might be possible, since our goals coincide, but considering the stir you have caused in the city, I would rather avoid being seen alongside you while we are still in Trademeet."

"Understood," Cernd nodded, seemingly not taking any offense. "I could travel to the grove on my own and meet you there, if you could arrange that I am released from this cell with the fall of the night."

"That sounds acceptable, I will speak to the mayor and see that it is done," Leah nodded, then turning around to lead her friends out of the basement, resolving to ask Coprith to also instruct the guards on keeping quiet about Jaheira's affiliation to the druids as well. "Oh, by the way, Jaheira... you're a proud druid, and yet you never regale us with as many lovely nature metaphors as Cernd, why is that so?"

"I think that if I did that, I would succumb to an overwhelming urge to punch myself in the mouth," the druidess replied dryly, amongst general merriment at her acerbic response.


	24. Chapter 24

Having taken their leave from Mayor Coprith's estate, Leah was in no hurry to head over to Vyatri's inn and settle in the rooms that the others had hopefully secured for them. Instead, the young Sorlyn was eager to explore the town a little bit more, in particularly hoping to hear some firsthand information from the Dao djinn about exactly why they were making such an effort to track down this rakshasa, Ihtafeer. She freely offered the others with choice to head to the inn and get some much needed rest, but neither Viconia, Jaheira nor Anomen took her up on this suggestion, deciding to remain in her company.

Leah was not particularly experienced at interacting with genies, but from what little she knew about these mystical creatures was that they could be extremely cryptic, tiresome and arrogant, looking down upon humans as 'lesser mortal creatures'. However, they were also dangerous and powerful, and angering them was certainly not in anyone's best interests. Fortunately, the genies were not usually openly hostile, always looking to cut a deal, provided they got what they wanted, and then some more.

The leader of these Dao djinn, one Khan Zahraa of Calimshan, certainly lived up to the stereotype of a typical genie. It was hard to get any details out of Khan Zahraa mostly because his standard reply seemed to be that these things were 'beyond the ken of mere mortal understanding'. Still, Leah managed to learn that this genie clan had come here from Calimshan on a service, hunting after a known criminal, the rakshasa Ihtafeer. Whom they were doing this service for, Khan Zahraa refused to say.

The genie leader admitted that because of their shape-shifter nature, the rakshasa were exceptionally hard to track down, and after months of tiresome efforts the Dao djinn had finally seen enough failures. Their new method to deal with the rakshasa problem involved taking over the trade in this town and forcing its desperate inhabitants to do the dirty work of the djinn for them. Leah felt particularly disgusted at how Khan Zahraa felt amused of this blackmail of the 'desperate little mortals', smugly declaring that at least the hunt was less taxing this way, not caring one bit that the town of Trademeet also had the druid troubles to contend with. And as much as Leah wanted to stuff all these djinn in a soiled chamber-pot and toss it in the nearest lake, the reality of the situation was that she was pretty much forced to agree to the terms of the Dao djinn. Not to mention that the link between the rakshasa and the Flail of Ages worried her quite a bit, and she knew that she would feel much safer if she knew that this Ihtafeer was not running loose around Amn.

So eventually, Leah ended up promising Khan Zahraa to track down this rakshasa and bring back its severed head. _At least they didn't demand me to also skin it and return its striped pelt,_ Leah thought at herself wryly. And she had managed to coax the djinn into promising her additional reward following the completion of her task, together with the vow to leave Trademeet and its people well alone. Having heard about the fabled riches that the djinn possessed, Leah felt slightly more positive about the entire undertaking. Obviously, the djinn were unable to provide any clues about Ihtafeer's location, only that it was unlikely that the rakshasa would reside within the city itself, and that she could unhelpfully be wearing the face of just about anyone.

Having learned all that she could from the Dao djinn, Leah and her friends left the large tent of the unwelcome guests from faraway Calimshan, finding themselves amongst the caravans and tents of the Rom people who had also found refuge within the city walls. They were a rather colorful crowd, and Leah and her friends instantly found themselves surrounded by several small children, offering them some of the most obscure and useless items for sale, at a bargain price, of course. That the items were absolutely not stolen was not even worth a mention, obviously. Jaheira gave Leah a warning stare, but the young priestess was alert, already having twice batted away greedy little fingers, reaching for the money pouch at her belt.

Leah was slowly becoming exasperated and almost a little angry about being unable to shake off the little pests, when suddenly a large dark-skinned man with a thick moustache and bushy eyebrows emerged from one of the tents and shouted something at the children in a language that Leah did not recognize. Whatever was being said, it clearly did the trick because the children scattered immediately, the man bowing to them all apologetically. "My friends, I am so sorry for the children," he said in a heavily accented common tongue. "They have been warned to stay away from the locals... or the rare visitors. My name is Mastav, the leader of this small camp."

"Greetings to you, Mastav, and thank you for your assistance," Leah replied politely. The Rom people were generally distrusted and unwelcome in the cities, sometimes for a good reason, but mostly out of prejudice. Still, Leah was aware that they traveled the countryside extensively and had seen great many things during their journeys, and thus could prove to be a valuable source of information. If the locals were cautious of all strangers, unwilling to speak with them, perhaps they could learn more from the Rom. "I wonder... would you know more about the troubles that plague this town?"

"I might know a thing or two... why don't you join me and my family in our tent?" Mastav asked, pointing invitingly at the tent he had emerged from. Leah looked back at her friends, noticing the scowl on Anomen's face, but she decided to ignore the subtle disapproval and followed Mastav inside the tent, the others entering after them. The large tent could easily accommodate up to a dozen people, and once inside, Mastav quickly introduced them to his wife Kveroslava, and two sons, Rinin and Jidek. "You must allow Kveroslava to read your palm later... her predictions are guaranteed to come true... for a mere price of ten gold coins," the Rom leader added predictably.

 _Probably not a good idea to let her do that,_ Leah thought to herself. _Those few seers who tried to read my palm back on the Sword Coast seemed to become completely unhinged after that experience. One more thing to thank Bhaal for._

They soon found themselves on the receiving end of the famous Rom hospitality, bowls of thick, tasty, but unfortunately over seasoned broth being thrust in their hands. Fortunately the rough rye bread that went along with the broth managed to offset the spiciness, so it was still much tastier than the travel rations they had eaten for their past few meals. Viconia was the only one to set her bowl aside with a disgusted look on her face, her refined elven taste buds no doubt finding it way too salty, but she did seem to approve of the chunk of bread that had been handed to her.

"We have always gotten on better with the wood elves than we have with the local druids," Mastav explained to them as they were eating. "Some of the druid folk are very unreasonable, thinking that one should not take anything at all from the nature except nuts and berries. The elves understand our ways much better. They know that we don't stay long in one place so as not to overhunt, and they know that we have as much respect for the nature as they do. Sometimes I think that we understand the nature much better than the druids themselves do."

"It is true that some druids can be unreasonably idealistic and their beliefs are not rooted in practical relationship between men and Mother Nature," Jaheira agreed, not taking offense at their host's words. "Sometimes nature can be harmed by coddling and overprotecting it."

"Wise words, my good woman," Mastav agreed with a sincere smile.

"What of your encounters with the druids as of late?" Leah inquired. Even if the talk with Cernd had already identified the grove as the source of the problems, Leah wanted to gauge the level of hostility of the druids from their encounters with the Rom.

"We couldn't even take our usual paths on our way here," the Rom leader explained. "Wild animals attacked and harried us all the way here, forcing us away from the grove. Yes, I suppose we didn't see the druids themselves, but the animals would not have behaved so unless they had been commanded to attack us... the druids have been unfriendly to us before, but never like this."

Having finished their meal and talked some more, Leah finally rose from her seat with the intention to lead her friends out of the tent, but Kveroslava stopped her, heatedly trying to convince Leah to allow the Rom woman to predict her future, now at a bargain price of five gold pieces. "I don't think you really want to do that, Kveroslava," Leah smiled, trying to shake off the persistent woman. "But perhaps Anomen would like to see what awaits him in the future... don't you, Anomen?"

"By spending our hard earned coins on the ramblings of this mad old crone?" Anomen scoffed. "I think not, my Lady."

"That's no way to repay these nice people for their hospitality, Anomen," Leah winked at the knight, hoping to persuade him and thus get Kveroslava off her back.

"But my Lady..." Anomen began to protest, until he noticed the expectant smile that she was giving him, winning over the young Helmite instantly. "Fine, if you insist, Leah... but only on the condition that you all agree to it as well."

"Yes, yes, I do you all, now for even better price of fifteen gold pieces for four readings!" Kveroslava cackled excitedly.

"Well, this should be illuminating," Viconia chuckled to herself. "You better not get this wrong, old harpy, or I will carve your mistaken predictions into your skin."

"A pointless waste of our time, but I suppose it is harmless enough," Jaheira also agreed after a brief moment of thought.

"Oh, come now, don't you remember what happened with Arkushule the Seer?" Leah sighed in disbelief. "I mean, we definitely do not want to see a repeat of that..."

"What happened with this seer, my Lady?" Anomen asked, looking curious.

"Nothing of importance," Jaheira snapped quickly before turning back to Leah. "And it was your own fault for prodding that madwoman. Just don't do that again and everything will be fine."

"Well, let's hope so," Leah replied uncertainly, then looking over at the young Helmite. "Anyway, Anomen, you should go first." The squire grumbled quietly, but did not protest, extending his arm for Kveroslava to pounce upon and start studying his palm.

"Now, close your eyes, good man, and let Kveroslava feel your aura," the Rom woman said excitedly, finding herself in her element. "You strive to be noble, but blackness is in your heart." Anomen swore angrily at that, and tried to withdraw his hand, but the woman held on to it with surprising strength. "Beware lest it consumes all you love. Soon you shall stand on a precipice... to overcome, or drown in the darkness forever."

"Sheer idiocy!" Anomen raised his voice as he spoke, turning around and angrily marching out of the tent. "There's nothing of myself in those words! Nothing!"

"It sounded very fitting to me," Jaheira scowled as she watched Anomen's dramatic retreat. Then she turned to look at Viconia, giving the Drow a light shove to push her towards Kveroslava. "Your turn."

"How kind of you to volunteer me, mongrel," Viconia hissed at the druidess, but did not resist when Kveroslava took her hand and began her reading.

"You are far from home, dark one..." Kveroslava began.

"You don't say," Viconia rolled her eyes. "You must have called upon all your immense insight to tell us that." The Drow's mocking words caused Leah to snicker, but she quickly silenced herself.

"Know this... you shall return home soon," Kveroslava continued, undeterred. "It calls for you. Soon you will face a choice harder than you ever thought it could be."

"Home, why would I wish to return home," Viconia snapped, though Leah could see that the Drow looked upset and almost... afraid at the Rom woman's words. "If the priestesses of Lolth wish to come for me, they shall return me to the Underdark as a corpse and nothing more."

"That was very morbid even for you, Viconia," Jaheira scowled. "Now I am no longer certain whether I wish to go through with this reading."

"No backing out of it now, Jaheira," Leah glared at her old friend. "You did promise."

"Oh fine, fine, if I must," the druidess finally acceded, letting Kveroslava take her hand and start tracing the lines of her slender palm.

"You have lost someone close to you," the Rom woman began, Jaheira visibly shuddering at those words. "Another world has been opened, but the price is the allegiance you hold most dear. Be wary, Harper, for all is not as you believe."

"You need to stop showing off that precious pin of yours," Viconia laughed, watching Jaheira blush with slight embarrassment. The druidess was not actually wearing it openly on display like some of her Harper colleagues did, Jaheira's pin rested on a chain around her neck, but still Kveroslava must have noticed it at some stage during their visit.

"Yes, well, that was an excellent warning, if vague," Jaheira stuttered a little as she spoke, stepping aside and letting Leah take her place. "Your turn," she told the young priestess.

Leah was still thinking about the reading that Jaheira had received as she stepped forward, wondering what it might have meant. _Another world has been opened... does that mean that Jaheira might find someone who will help her move on? Milil, I hope so... but the price is the allegiance she holds most dear? Does that mean the allegiance she has with the Harpers... or with me? What could it all mean... eh, probably not worth thinking about so much, it's all just nonsense, anyway._

"You are a strong woman who tries to be good and noble," Leah snapped back to the present only when Kveroslava had already taken hold of her hand and was busy studying her palm. "You have a powerful aura... and powerful blood... a destiny that shines so brightly. It is... it is... the blood of a... god that flows in you! But you are not alone... there is another... another who calls for your help! And I see a man, a dark man whose life has been taken from him..."

Leah by now was shivering like a leaf from the heavy, almost otherworldly words that fell from the completely pale Rom woman's mouth. "I see this other... she screams! She screams! There is a beast... a beast of terrible power! And the dark man... the Exile! He smiles! He smiles! I... I... NO!" Kveroslava burst out in a frenzied scream. "No more! I... I can't take no more... go away! Away... too powerful... leave me..." she suddenly grew weak and collapsed on the ground, the rest of the family jumping to her aid, looking confused at what had happened.

The first instinct that gripped Leah was to dash out of the tent and run away as far as she could, but Jaheira intercepted her on the way, catching the girl in a death grip, pulling her close in a tight hug and holding her until Leah's frame began to shake as she cried. Viconia looked on at them with undisguised curiosity, stopping only to withdraw the promised fifteen gold pieces and tossing them casually next to the still prone Rom seer.

"Imoen... by Milil, Jaheira, did you hear what she said?" Leah was still inconsolable, weeping into Jaheira's shoulder. "Irenicus has freed himself and he is torturing her as we speak! She suffers every moment we waste here! We must... we must do something to help her as soon as possible!"

"Calm down, Leah... you should know that these readings cannot be trusted," Jaheira spoke gently. "There is no proof that what this woman guessed at is true."

"But... but it seemed so real!" Leah protested, still shedding fresh tears. "How could she know some of these things?"

"Perhaps we all thought of our greatest fears while she was trying to read our auras," Viconia spoke up suddenly. "It would certainly explain why we all heard what we did."

"I... yes," Jaheira said quietly after a brief, thoughtful pause. "I would have to agree with Viconia for once. Leah, of all things, you fear most that Imoen might be in danger, that you might not be doing all that you can to help her... and perhaps Kveroslava does have some unique gift that allows her to sense as much. But that does not make it true."

"You... you really think so?" Leah finally pulled away, dabbing at her cheeks to wipe away the tears.

"I'm absolutely certain," Viconia said assuredly, Jaheira smiling curtly as she nodded at that.

"Thanks... thanks, both of you," Leah sighed, the druidess releasing her from the embrace and letting the young priestess step away and recompose herself before they left the tent where Kveroslava was slowly coming to, Mastav and the children patiently waiting for her to recover.

Outside, Anomen was standing some distance away from the tent, still looking as angry as a dragon, so much so that even the Rom children did not dare to approach and pester him. Taking a deep breath and making sure that her peace of mind was completely restored, Leah approached the young squire and smiled at him, as if to offer peace. "I'm really sorry that Kveroslava upset you, Anomen," she said softly. "But you should know that she does not truly know the future. She can sense your greatest fears, however, and she feeds upon that."

"Aye... aye, that must be it, my Lady," Anomen finally managed to reply, her presence seemingly helping him to calm down. "But I should be the one apologizing for my reaction, Leah. It's just... there was no need for us to even cavort with these people in the first place. They are... beneath us."

"You can never be sure when a bit of goodwill might come back to help you," Leah shrugged, even if Anomen clearly disagreed with the notion that at any point of his life he might require favors or help from the Rom. "In any case, I think we should head back to the inn and see if the others have managed to procure rooms for us."

"Yes, I would advise everyone to get a few hours of rest and then head out with the fall of night," Jaheira spoke up as they resumed walking back to the inn. "That way we would arrive at the grove with the break of dawn. It is at least six to eight hours of walking from the city, and no, we can't take our horses into that swamp."

"So it's not actually a druid grove, but a druid swamp," Leah sought to clarify, groaning when Jaheira nodded at her. "Well, that's just wonderful!"

As they walked on, having noticed that Jaheira and Anomen had put in a little distance between them, Viconia opened her mouth to speak as she strode side by side with Leah. "I have been told a little about this Bhaal of yours, but I am unfamiliar with him even from my years on the surface," she began, Kveroslava's words probably having rekindled her interest in Leah's unwelcomed patron.

"Well, for starters, I wouldn't call him mine," Leah shrugged. She did not particularly feel like discussing Bhaal, not when the Rom woman's words still rang in her ears, but at the same time, for some reason she was afraid of brushing Viconia aside, now that she had began to encourage the Drow to open up to her. "You know that I worship someone else, yes?" She withdrew Milil's holy symbol on the chain around her neck and pressed her lips against the five-stringed harp.

"Of course, your harmless little patron of verses and merry prancing," Viconia chuckled. "I find it very curious how very few surfacers seem to understand and appreciate the choice that they are given. It is very different in the Underdark, where Lolth involves herself everywhere. Like a glutton, she reserves all worship for herself and outlaws the other Drow gods."

"I saw the look in your eyes when Kveroslava mentioned the Underdark," Leah remarked, giving Viconia an earnest, sympathetic look. "Despite your feelings... you also miss it, don't you?"

"It is difficult to describe," Viconia replied thoughtfully. "The Underdark is a place of great evil and danger, but also of beauty and wonder." She hesitated some more. "Would you like me to tell you of it?"

"Of course," Leah nodded eagerly. "It's not like I'm ever going to visit that place myself. At least I can catch a glimpse of it through your eyes."

"Deep Drow is inelegant when discussing beauty, but has seventy words for cruel," Viconia began her tale. "Few of my sisters prized the sights of our dark world, but I ache for them each night. The undersea of Laratrak, for example, defies words. To sail across takes two days _luent_ to _linoin_... east to west... three days _trezen_ to _werneth_... north to south. Massive stalactites overhead shimmer from the bloodless pallor of lichen... and as you sail, a bleak dead world flows beneath, the playground of blind fish and fallen deities. I remember also the crystal spires of Ustlat, a pinnacle of architecture. Living crystal pruned and gardened with gems and a master jeweler's care, it spoke of defiance. But these images pale before memories of the Spider Queen, and the worship I began so young. Beauty is difficult to find in the blood that I let flow in her name."

"How young are we talking here?" Leah asked, shuddering already as she feared what the answer might be.

"I was but a child when I began," Viconia explained somberly. "I was taken from my mother, brought to the temple, and attended to by the priestesses who adorned me with the black robes. They took me to the _orlenggin_... the sacrificial altar... where a surfacer screamed in agony, and for the pleasure of Lolth I was given a spider dagger to end his life. This human was but a _kul'gobuss_ to me, but it felt wrong. He was bare and chained... helpless. His tears ran freely as he begged for mercy in his unfamiliar tongue. But the matron mothers were there to judge; obedience was required, hesitation was death. It had to be done and in a manner that would please Lolth... cold, clean and final. He screamed as the blade entered, and spit blood when I punctured his lungs. To the delight of the matron mothers I pulled his heart out still beating."

"That is... very sick and gruesome," Leah gulped uncomfortably. "I can see how that might color your memories of the Underdark... along with all the other horrors you experienced down there."

"Indeed, and I was made to sacrifice many, Drow and surfacer both. The ichor flowed freely to fill Lolth's insatiable rage. The caverns are red in my mind, their beauty a bloodied and callous joke. It was the drow way, which hopefully is behind me, now."

"I would like to think so too, Viconia," Leah gave the Drow a warm smile. "If I have any say in it, I won't let you get back to those old ways."

Viconia responded with a smile of her own which sent Leah's heart skipping at an increased rate, but the moment was interrupted when someone began to shout loudly further down the street. "Get out of our city, you filthy druid whore!" came a yell from one of the houses by the side of the street, followed by a shower of stinking food leftovers hitting the unfortunate Jaheira, some of the filth also splashing on to Anomen's impeccably polished armor. The Helmite immediately withdrew his flail and looked around as if he was ready to bring down the entire house just to get to the culprit, but Jaheira grabbed his hand, barked something at the young man and dragged him off in a hasty step, Leah and Viconia struggling to keep up.

"Well, so much for those guards not telling anyone that Jaheira is a druid," Leah sighed. "And so much for keeping a low profile and getting along with the locals during our stay here."

"But it was almost worth seeing Jaheira getting covered in all that filth," Viconia grinned next to her, ignoring Leah's disapproving scowl. "Ah, who am I trying to fool... it was totally worth seeing that. Let's hurry, _abbil_ , I can't pass up this opportunity to mock our proud mongrel over this."

"I wish that at some point you two would stop baiting each other," Leah sighed, trying to keep up with Viconia. "I could really do with you both working together to support me and the group."

"But we are doing that as well," Viconia replied flippantly as they reached the entrance to Vyatri's pub and proceeded inside, but much to the Drow's annoyance, Jaheira had already disappeared upstairs, with the likely intent to clean herself up. Anomen had followed her example, the young Helmite likely to be polishing his armor for the next couple of hours until he had managed to erase every little speck of the greasy gravy.

The establishment was mostly empty at this afternoon hour, but the few patrons who were present certainly did not spare hostile glances in the direction of Leah and Viconia. Only the bard gave them a shy smile, a pretty redheaded human girl sitting on a small pedestal near the entrance and currently tuning her harp for the evening's performance. Leah quickly spotted Aerie, Nalia and Minsc sitting at a table in the farthest corner, the two young women looking deeply uncomfortable while Minsc simply looked as oblivious as always. Still, Leah ignored all the hostile glares and together with Viconia walked over to where their friends sat, taking places at their table.

"They are being very rude and unpleasant," Aerie whispered to Leah. "Well, except the innkeeper. And the bard lady."

"Well, old Vyatri wants our coin, doesn't matter whether he likes us or not," Nalia shrugged. "Oh, and don't order any food in here... the things we got served were completely disgusting and inedible..."

"Minsc ate his, Aerie and Nalia's meals," the large ranger proclaimed proudly, then letting out a worryingly loud burp. "But Minsc did it against Boo's advice... and now Minsc's tummy feels strange... like it's full with arguing squirrels, throwing nuts..." Minsc let out yet another loud belch, slowly turning green in the face as Boo squeaked worriedly.

"Umm, big guy, perhaps you should go and lay down for a while," Leah suggested, feeling a little concerned. Their upcoming task required a healthy Minsc without an upset stomach, and having their best fighter constantly running to the bushes to relieve himself certainly was not ideal.

"Boo believes that would be wise as well," Minsc nodded, wincing as he rubbed his grumbling belly. "But... Minsc thinks he needs to pay visit to another place first..." and with that the large ranger grabbed a reluctantly squeaking Boo and quickly dashed upstairs.

"Okay... so that didn't go according to the plan," Leah sighed, then turning back to Aerie and Nalia. "So you two haven't eaten anything at all?" she asked, the two women shaking their heads at her. "You must be famished by now."

"There are always the travel rations," Nalia frowned, not looking particularly excited.

"Now I'm even happier about getting fed at the Rom camp," Leah said, an idea suddenly occurring to her. "Come to think of it, if you go there, they would probably feed you as well. Just ask for Mastav or Kveroslava. They're quite friendly, but just make sure not to flaunt a lot of coins or jewelry in front of them."

"Umm... could you perhaps come along and introduce us?" Aerie asked, looking a little fearful. "It seems as if you have already made friends with them."

Leah sighed and was about to reply but Viconia surprisingly beat her to the punch. "I'll take you both there," the Drow offered casually. Aerie did not seem happy at the prospect, but Nalia quickly whispered something encouraging in her ear to make the avariel look less frightened.

"That's... surprisingly helpful of you, Viconia," Leah remarked, narrowing her eyes at the Drow. "Wait... you're probably regretting now that you didn't have any of that broth."

"You could not be more wrong, _abbil_ ," Viconia scoffed. "I merely wish to pilfer more of that delicious bread if it seems that we will find no service in this dismal tavern."

"Heh, well, good luck with that," Leah laughed, watching as the three women all got up and left the inn. Shortly afterwards she herself became tired of the unfriendly stares of the other patrons, getting up and approaching Vyatri to inquire which rooms had been rented to them. As she walked up the stairs, Leah shot one last look at the bard who was idly plucking her harp, making a note to have a chat with the woman later, sensing an opportunity to connect with the redhead through their common interest in music, and perhaps find a way to endear herself and their group to the locals.

Leah was a little surprised with the discovery that Aerie and Nalia had left their belongings in one of the two person bedrooms, and Jaheira had taken her place in the next room, expecting to share it with Leah and Viconia. The young priestess was surprised at how powerful her sense of disappointment was at that, not having realized just how much she had been looking forward to sharing a room with Viconia alone.

"I didn't expect to find you here," Leah remarked casually, throwing her backpack on one of the free beds, the druidess sitting at a mirror and brushing her still damp hair. She had untied all of her dreadlocks in order to clean and wash her hair thoroughly, and seeing Jaheira's now healthy looking long hair, having recovered from the long imprisonment in the care of Irenicus, Leah silently hoped that the druidess would continue to wear her hair long, just the way she had done throughout their travels along the Sword Coast. "Looks like nothing was hurt except perhaps your pride."

"Not even that," Jaheira remarked with a slight smile. "Where is Viconia?" she asked, having noticed that the Drow was no longer trailing Leah.

"She took the others back to the Rom camp," Leah replied, ignoring Jaheira's raised eyebrow. "Speaking of the others, have you had enough rooming with Aerie and Nalia?"

"Perhaps I simply wanted to keep an eye on you and Viconia, instead," Jaheira's answer surprised Leah, the druidess turning around and setting the hairbrush aside. "In fact... I believe it is about time that we had a little chat about Viconia..."


	25. Chapter 25

"Viconia?" Leah blinked, looking surprised at Jaheira's comment. "What would you like to discuss about Viconia?"

The druidess never flinched at the stare that the young Sorlyn directed at her. "Surely you have noticed that some of her behavior appears… rather odd," the half-elf pointed out.

"What are you talking about, she has been nothing but nice to me… to the group, I mean," Leah protested.

"That is exactly what I am referring to," Jaheira nodded. "She is being uncharacteristically cooperative, especially towards you. Perhaps you have an inkling why that would be so?"

"I, ah… don't really know…" Leah countered weakly. "Lately I feel as if I am truly starting to get through to her, and that the decent person underneath all that baggage of hardship, suffering and violence is beginning to emerge."

"I hope that truly is the explanation, but somehow I remain unconvinced about Viconia changing her colors this swiftly," Jaheira scowled. "Still, I have an alternate explanation which you also should have considered by now."

"Oh? And what would that be?" the young priestess challenged.

"I do not think that even you would deny that Viconia is treating you in particular with previously unobserved decency," Jaheira said, her stare deadly serious as her eyes locked with Leah's. "You need to consider that she might be romantically interested in you… and I am still not certain whether I would believe her to be capable of experiencing genuine emotional attachment, or simply seeking a way to exploiting and manipulating you."

"By Milil, are you going to start with that as well?" Leah groaned. "I'm already tired with Viconia's implications that I'm… well, that I… prefer women… in a romantic sense… which is a completely ludicrous notion!"

"Is it, truly?" Jaheira smirked. "I may not like Viconia much, but I respect that she has some wisdom, and if she sees the same that I do…"

"Why are my romantic inclinations even a topic for discussion?" Leah sighed. "I wish you'd just stop talking about it altogether."

"Fine, as you would have it," Jaheira rolled her eyes, unimpressed with the dismissal, but already looking as if she was planning her next move on how to breach the topic. "In that case, I hope you will not mind me inquiring about Anomen? How are things between the two of you?"

"To be honest, it has been very frustrating," Leah confessed, eager to rant about the annoyance she felt regarding some of her more recent talks with the young Helmite. "He can be so arrogant and prejudiced at times, and I'm not sure all of that comes from Lord Cor and his treatment of Anomen… I'm trying to get along with him, I really am, but I will not tailor my opinions to be in line with his often misguided views."

"And his hot temper is not helpful either, I imagine," Jaheira pointed out knowingly. ""Which means there probably has been no progress on the romance front…"

"No, but… oh, I see what you're trying to do there!" Leah scowled angrily at her old friend. "Listen, just because I don't get along so smoothly with Anomen it doesn't mean that I don't like men… like _that_ , you know… Perhaps he simply isn't the right one for me… or perhaps he is, and he simply needs some more… training."

"Leah, this is the only reason why I even brought it up with you," Jaheira said, more softly now. "You need to understand what you want, and you need to understand it soon… or otherwise, someone might get very seriously offended. Now, I may not particularly care about Anomen or Viconia's hurt feelings… but these kinds of games can be very dangerous. Bitter jealousy can lead to anger, resentment, and worse."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about," Leah insisted, crossing her arms on her chest defiantly.

"Fine, I give up…" Jaheira sighed. "At least promise to consider my warning."

"I will, if it's so important to you," Leah shrugged, turning away from the conversation and stepping out to the small, cozy balcony of their large three person bedroom.

"So, what do you think of Amn so far?" Jaheira asked casually, following her out on the balcony. The two of them simply stood there for a moment, enjoying the magnificent view of the city square before them, the well maintained and tidy looking rows of houses, and the dark edge of the foreboding forest not far from the city walls. "It is certainly not without its charms or its hardships lately," the druidess added when Leah hadn't replied anything in a while.

"I would probably enjoy Amn a lot more under different circumstances," Leah said, a little sourly. "I believe that we both currently have too much on our minds to think about sightseeing."

"Of course, I was merely seeking to lighten the mood," the druidess nodded. "After all, I know that there are many things of merit here in Amn. Perhaps not in the cities, but the forests are a great treasure."

"And yet, despite these great forests, the local druids have decided that it would be a grand idea to build their henge in the middle of the swamp?" Leah chuckled, her good mood returning now that Jaheira had stopped pestering her about the matters of the heart. "I can't say that I'm all that impressed by that decision of your fellows."

"I wish that I could take the blame for it, Leah, but truly, I cannot," Jaheira raised her hands apologetically. "As for the beauty of the forests, I resolve to show it to you when we have the time. I will take you through the deepest lands, and you will see the beauty that I know is there."

"That does sound lovely, but only on the condition that Imoen is with us," Leah replied, a shadow crossing her face briefly at the memory of her childhood friend.

"Of course," Jaheira agreed before a slightly wicked look crept into her eyes. "We will take Imoen, but not Viconia?"

"Err… sure, we can take her if she wants to come and if that's alright with you," Leah replied evasively. "I am sure we would have a wonderful 'girl's only' week out in the forests…"

"I do not think that Minsc would let us anywhere out of his sights," Jaheira added, laughing softly.

"And Boo," Leah grinned. "You must never forget Boo."

"Of course," Jaheira rolled her eyes. She was about to say more when suddenly a large stone whizzed past her head and flew into their room, hitting the far wall. The two women looked down at the square, noticing a group of three angry looking townsfolk, one of them pointing at Jaheira and slurring something that sounded like a combination of curses and swearwords.

"Oh, great… I had hoped to avoid this," Leah sighed, shaking her head.

"Not to worry, I think I have an idea on how to get rid of them," Jaheira smirked, ducking to avoid yet another flying stone which unfortunately hit one of the paintings on the wall and sent it crashing on the floor, breaking the frame. The druidess uttered a quick chant, focusing on something under the ledge of the roof, and sure enough, moments later a swarm of angry wasps emerged from their nest and proceeded to chase the screaming townsfolk all over the city square, eventually forcing the badly stung miscreants to seek refuge in the large fountain, the wasps only then returning back to their nest.

"That was amazing, but I suspect it might have made them even more angry and violent towards us," Leah could not help but state worriedly.

"As if that were anything new, we have had many people seek our deaths so far," Jaheira shrugged, her expression then turning bitter. "I do not mean these foolish townsfolk, but some others would have been friends had things turned different. This weighs on my mind."

"It hurts me that you are conflict with your own kind, Jaheira, but do you honestly believe that Galvarey or anyone amongst his lackeys could have become our friend?" Leah asked earnestly.

"I did not mean them, specifically… I suppose that I was simply… rambling," Jaheira replied, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. "You must surely know that I will follow you, but… they are my kin. I… don't know what to do."

"And I don't know anything to say that could help. Besides, I know that you hate platitudes," Leah chuckled bitterly. "It is difficult to make plans when we do not know what we will be facing. As the saying goes, we'll cross that bridge once we get there."

"An excellent advice, that," Jaheira smiled softly. "I will be glad to leave this town and its ignorant inhabitants behind, even if it is by heading into a swamp which will hardly be welcoming. My steps feel lighter, head clearer and senses sharper, whenever we find ourselves surrounded by the wilderness. Everything feels… simpler in nature."

"I can understand that," Leah nodded, even as her expression clouded a little. "Though I will confess, it is hard for me not to feel as if the difficulties that you are facing lately have all been because of me…"

"No, I forbid you to think that," Jaheira said sternly, taking Leah's hand in hers by the wrist and squeezing it. "You should know that I find comfort because of you. There are many like Galvarey who cannot see what I do, and it is their intolerance that makes things difficult."

"I hope that your sharp senses are not deceiving you, for I truly do not know what you see in me and why you continue to follow me after everything…"

"I see… I see a confidant, someone who has never betrayed my trust," Jaheira exclaimed passionately, then realizing that she was still holding Leah's hand, blushing and releasing it. "And I also see someone undeserving the scorn of the ignorant. It makes it worth standing by your side."

"Thank you, it means a great deal to hear that coming from you, Jaheira," Leah smiled at her half-elven friend, for a moment feeling elated, but then letting out another deep sigh as the reality of their situation caught up with her again. "There must be a way to reconcile this matter with the Harpers…"

"I doubt that it will be that easy," Jaheira shrugged in reply. "Galvarey was as close to a regional leader as the Harpers have. The events will be told from his favor, I am sure."

"I suppose in that case we should not fret about it and instead work to prepare for the worst," Leah suggested.

"Wise words, again," Jaheira nodded. "At least there is little that could happen to make this worse. That **we** will prepare is also pleasing to me. That **we** will stand side by side through whatever is to come… there is no greater comfort that I could ask for."

"Hey, we've been through worse scuffles, haven't we?" Leah asked cheekily, hoping to cheer up the druidess, placing an arm around her shoulders. "We took care of Sarevok, Aec'Letec and the Demonknight of Durlag's Keep. We'll get through this one as well… trust me…"

"I do trust you, Leah," Jaheira replied, putting her arm around the younger woman's shoulders in return as they continued to watch as the sun slowly descended behind the tallest roofs of the Trademeet buildings, enveloped by companionable silence.

* * *

Once all her companions had returned to the inn, Leah ordered them to remain in their rooms and prepare for departure come the fall of night, even as the young priestess prettied herself up and prepared to descend to the common room of the inn and charm the patrons gathered there. Viconia appeared very much interested in joining Leah downstairs, despite the young Sorlyn reluctantly trying to discourage her. In the end, Jaheira had to threaten the Drow to tackle her and keep her pinned on the bed for the rest of the evening, a mental image that for some reason made Leah blush from sudden surge of heat and forced her to escape from their shared room in a hurry.

Downstairs, the common room was noticeably fuller than earlier, but fortunately the redheaded bard lady had not started her performance just yet and Leah subtly carved her path towards the small pedestal where the attractive musician sat. "Good evening," she addressed the busy looking woman with a disarming smile, trying to appear as charming as possible. "My name is Leah, and I'm not from around here. Are you a local bard?"

"I'm sorry, I really need to focus-…" the bard's first reaction was to brush her off before she looked up and noticed the holy symbol of Milil hanging in a silver chain, resting in the valley of the tasteful yet prominent cleavage of Leah's simple dress. "Oh my, a Sorlyn, here? That is wonderful news!" She suddenly looked delighted, a reaction that Leah had been counting on. The skill of the clerics of the Lord of Song was renowned throughout the land and bards everywhere were eager to get acquainted and if possible, make arrangements to perform together. "My name is Alenina, and I hail from Southern Tethyr," the redhead explained with a delighted and hopeful smile. "I hope I am not presuming too much by asking… but would you like to join me on the stage tonight?"

"I thought you would never ask," Leah beamed back at the bard. "What were you planning to play tonight?"

"I was going to start with 'As I Lay Upon A Night'," Alenina replied. "Do you know that one?"

"Do I? It's one of my favorites!" Leah laughed as they spent the next five or so minutes comparing their repertoires and agreeing upon the order of songs they would perform them in. Once they were ready, Alenina plucked a few strings of her harp to get the attention of the patrons and then rose to address them.

"Good evening, esteemed guests of Vyatri's inn," she called out in her well-trained soft, melodic voice. "Most of you already know me, Alenina of Zazesspur, but tonight I will be joined by another visitor to your fair city, Leah of…" the bard suddenly cut herself off, looking back at the young Sorlyn. "Where are you from, exactly?"

"Just say the Sword Coast," Leah replied quickly.

"Leah from the Sword Coast," Alenina finished her address to the crowd, some of whom were frowning and looking disapproving. Mostly it was the women who reacted negatively, the men seemed instantly swayed by Leah's appearance, aided by her choice of dress with its attractive cleavage and slits that extended well above the knee, teasingly showing off a bit of delicious thigh.

"She is an adventuring cleric of Milil, and has traveled to Trademeet in order to help with the problems that your town is currently facing, so you better treat Leah and her companions well!" Some of the faces in the crowd instantly looked guilty at their previous reaction, some beginning to clap their hands and nodding approvingly. "And tonight she will also be joining me in performing for you! We shall start off with one of the all time favorites, 'As I Lay Upon a Night'!" The crowd erupted in rapturous applause as Leah and Alenina began their performance.

_'as I lay awake one night  
all alone and racked by longing  
it seemed I saw a wondrous sight  
a maiden with a child gently rocking_

_the maiden preferred noy yo use a song_   
_to help her child drift away dreaming_   
_but the child believed she did him wrong_   
_and requested his mother to sing_

_"sing to me mother" said the child_   
_"of what shall become of me too_   
_in the faraway future when I am old_   
_like all other mothers do"_

_"sweet mother fair and generous_   
_since that is how I see you_   
_I beg you lull me now to sleep_   
_and sing a little too"'_

It did not take very long for all the patrons of the inn to join in singing along with Leah and Alenina, especially when they topped off their performance with repeated renditions of a currently extremely popular catchy tune about a bear and a maiden fair. As the two women on the stage embraced, thanking each other for the lovely performance, a shower of coins landed at their feet in gratitude for their efforts. And although she did need the coin, Leah refused to take any of it, leaving it all to the grateful Alenina as she left the stage to more and more cheers and applause, feeling extremely thirsty as she headed straight for the bar counter where Vyatri was already awaiting her with a free mug of his best ale.

As Leah sat down at the counter and slowly began to savor her drink, she heard Alenina resuming the play of her harp, recapturing the crowd's attention with some instrumental pieces, also needing to rest her voice and Leah felt grateful that the patron's attention now shifted away from her. She had accomplished what she had set out to do, which was to endear herself and her group to the locals, especially after the news of Jaheira being a druid had spread, but now Leah simply wanted to finish her drink and retreat back to her room for a couple of hours of uninterrupted rest before they would have to set out again. But as luck would have it, she wasn't even done with her ale when someone slipped into the seat next to her with clear intent to speak with her, a young woman wearing high quality leather armor, her face partly covered by a hood, which failed to conceal her roguish attractiveness and the likely affiliation with a certain thieves guild.

"Could we speak for a moment?" the woman asked directly, deciding not to beat around bush, something that Leah very much appreciated. "In private, if you would."

"As soon as you tell me your name and who you represent," Leah replied equally quietly.

"My name is Itona, and I represent the Shadow Thieves," the thief spoke softly. "No need to introduce yourself, I know you well enough by now, Leah. Rest assured that you have no reason to fear me, or anyone from the Shadow Thieves guild."

"I am aware of that," Leah nodded quickly, looking around until she noticed a miraculously free table at the far end of the common room, pointing at it and then getting up and casually walking towards the free seats, Itona following her with graceful, catlike steps.

"I must commend you on the fine performance earlier," the thief said with an easy smile as they both sat down at the empty table. "Alenina is exceptional on her own, but your voice enhanced her amazing handling of the harp beautifully."

"Thank you," Leah returned the smile, but then her eyes narrowed as she clearly expected an elaboration regarding the Shadow Thief agent's presence.

"I chose to approach you because I think that we both stand to benefit from helping each other," Itona began, sensing Leah's impatience and clearly not wanting to annoy her. "I know that you visited the Dao genies in their tents, and a little birdie tweeted to me that you have agreed to find this rakshasa that they are so desperate to hunt down. Those genies seem remarkably unconcerned about us mere mortals spying on them…"

"Very cute… now, what was your point again?" Leah scowled.

"You're right, that was neither here nor there," Itona nodded apologetically. "The point is that I believe I know where this rakshasa is hiding. And you may be the only one capable of defeating her… if you intend to do so, then I will tell you where to find her."

"What, the mighty Shadow Thieves admit defeat before this rakshasa?" Leah teased with a slightly petty intent to annoy, but Itona didn't even bat an eyelid at the intended barb.

"Our cell in Trademeet is very small, and I myself am more of a spy and smuggler. Fighting dangerous, magical creatures is very much not my forte," the Shadow Thief cell leader replied.

"I can imagine that the genie blockade is cutting into your profits as well, and this isn't just about helping the people of Trademeet out of the goodness of your heart," the young priestess winked at her newly made friend.

"True enough," Itona admitted. "The genies currently have all the wealth in Trademeet, and attempting to steal from them would be… unwise. We have a vested interest in seeing the genies gone, so that the wealth could once again be… distributed evenly."

"As I thought," Leah chuckled. "But yes, we intend to track down and defeat this rakshasa Ihtafeer, so I would be interested in learning what you know."

"Excellent!" Itona grinned broadly. For a moment, Leah felt as if she was seeing Imoen's face under the hood, but as the thief's smile waned, so did the vision of her childhood friend and Leah was left alone with the bitter pang of loneliness and fear in her heart. "There is an old woman by the name of Adratha who lives in the woods near the druid's grove. The woman has been there for a long time, selling potions and phials and such to the locals. It all sounds very harmless, doesn't it?" Leah nodded before Itona went on to explain. "Lately, however, many of the people who have gone to see this woman have disappeared utterly."

"That does sound significant," Leah agreed.

"But that is not all," Itona continued. "We have also spotted two men with this woman who were not there previously. Some of the locals who have returned say that the woman claims them to be her grandsons, but we have it on record that Adratha has no relatives, and she had repeated so often."

"Definitely a place worth investigating, then," Leah nodded.

"I don't know how much you know about the rakshasa, but they eat the flesh of humans and are masterful shape-shifters," the Shadow Thief woman said warningly. "I believe that they have assumed the guise of the potion-seller and are luring the locals to their lair to consume. So, if you still feel up to the task, you should go to the witch's house northeast of the druid grove and I believe that you will find your rakshasa. Kill her, and the genies will not be the only ones pleased," Itona purred sensually, meaningfully placing her hand on Leah's and stroking it gently. "I am sure that the Shadow Thieves will also think of some way to show their gratitude…"

"Uh… thanks, I think," Leah managed, suddenly finding herself petrified and barely able to say anything else.

"Well, good luck and try not to get yourself killed," the flirtatious rogue added teasingly, winking as she laid her eyes on Leah's cleavage before rising from her seat. "It would be a great shame to lose a pretty thing like you…" Itona laughed before joining the crowd and disappearing from Leah's eyes, leaving the young Sorlyn sitting at the table and letting out a deep sigh.

* * *

For some time now, there had been this nagging sensation floating around the perimeter of her senses, but only recently she had been able to place this sensation and identify it. The perfectly attuned abilities to sense powerful magic began to reveal the truth, bringing with it the memory of this powerful artifact created by her ancestors, used many times in the past by allowing it to fall into the hands of powerful human warriors, allowing her kin to hunt them down, engage them in a glorious battle, culminating with a bloody feast, the rakshasa sating themselves by devouring human flesh.

Yes, the flail was once again complete, radiating its powerful magic, Ihtafeer could sense it clearly now. She had felt it earlier, but the sensation had been weak, and it had not allowed her to identify the source. But now… now the flail was moving, she could feel it, and it was being carried towards her, to the grove, and to this dismal shack she was forced to call her home, all because of these damnable genies.

Were the ones carrying the flail heading to take care of these pesky druids nearby? Or were they perhaps contracted by the genies to hunt her down on their behalf? That they would be in possession of the ancient flail of rakshasa craft was an interesting coincidence… and Ihtafeer was old and cunning enough to know that life often took ironic twists such as this one.

She could sense the path of the flail, and it seemed to lead straight for the grove, and her shack, which implied that if these men were after her, they had clear directions of where to look for her. And that meant that sitting in the shack of the old potion brewer and waiting to be attacked was not an option.

"Jalaal! Saadat!" Ihtafeer hissed to her two alert looking underlings. "Ready yourselves! We must move out immediately!"

"Why, what is happening?" Jalaal dared to ask, even if he knew he was not supposed to question her orders.

"There are adventurers heading this way… possibly looking for us," Ihtafeer snapped impatiently.

"Is that a reason for concern?" Saadat asked impertinently. "We are the rakshasa and they have no chance against our swords and our magic."

"Perhaps, but I don't like leaving these encounters to chance," Ihtafeer shook her head, lips twisting into a hungry sneer. "Not when we have the opportunity to set up the perfect trap…"

* * *

_A/N: Song lyrics used by Mediæval Bæbes version of 'As I Lay Upon a Night'._


	26. Chapter 26

"Well… I suppose it clears up that mystery," Leah sighed aloud, looking at the retreating form of Pauden, a helpful druid who had risked his life to contact them upon their arrival at the druid grove and explained to them exactly what had transpired here.

"Shadow Druids… didn't we run into their kind during our adventures in Cloakwood?" Viconia asked, looking unimpressed.

"We did," Jaheira ground out through clenched teeth, giving Leah a disapproving stare. "If only you still hadn't been obsessed with your concept of mercy, we would not have to deal with all of this now."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that Faldorn would be capable of something like this?" Leah shrugged, not feeling particularly guilty. "She seemed like any other harmless, rebellious teenager, lots of impressive talk and very little action. It actually amazes me that her insane ranting has attracted any followers and given her the power to do this…"

"Perhaps it has to do something with us killing every other Shadow Druid in Cloakwood," Viconia chuckled. "Someone was bound to take charge… and it looks as it has been her."

"Besides, Jaheira, you know better than I do that we can't just kill people because of something that they **might** do in the future," Leah pointed out. "In that case, you would have had to kill me long time ago."

"Please don't speak so, my Lady," Anomen interjected worriedly.

"Yes, I know that, Leah… I am simply frustrated that this… this imbecile would do something like this!" Jaheira exclaimed, angrily swiping her scimitar at a nearby dead tree, cleanly severing a dry branch. "How would she even succeed at taking over the grove like this? I suspect that we still do not know the full truth. The grove would have had to be in dire state if they fell so easily to the Shadow Druid corruption."

"Well, we're not going to find out the full truth by standing around here," Leah said decisively, starting to move again. "Let's resume our march… and make sure to stay on the path. This swamp may look civilized, but that is all deceptive."

"I can almost guarantee it that you will get trapped into a mire and start to sink if you veer off the beaten path," Jaheira added her own warning. "Did you hear what I just said, Minsc?" she scowled at the large Rashemi who seemed more interested in conversing with his hamster instead of listening to her advice.

"I did, but Boo already gave Minsc the 'How Not to Sink in a Swamp 101' learning course," the ranger replied, beaming proudly. "Though Minsc isn't sure what the one-oh-one stands for…"

"I think it stands for 'well done, Boo'," Leah laughed in reply as they resumed their slow walk through the deceptively solid looking marsh.

"This is not as bad as I thought it would be," Aerie chimed in happily, but then immediately had to detract her statement as her foot stuck in the mud all the way up to her ankle. Anomen came to her aid quickly, helping the avariel to free her foot, and having thanked the Helmite for his help she continued the journey with a frown on her face, the completely soaked boot now making sloshing sound on every step taken.

"Well, I actually like this," Nalia said happily, ignoring the less than pleased look Aerie sent her. "It's quite beautiful… wild, yet peaceful." Leah found herself agreeing with that statement, even if she would never want to live in such a place, nor did she understand why the druids would choose this location as their seat of power in this particular region.

Even though the landscape surrounding them could probably be most accurately described as a marsh, it was not all flat and easy to oversee, the view often blocked by large outcroppings of rock as well as thick clumps of osier and alder trees, as well as other vegetation. Treacherous puddles of water loomed everywhere by the side of the barely visible and overgrown walking path, forcing the group to move at a slow pace. Jaheira had warned them that this kind of habitat was typically a troll country, and this warning came to fruition soon after their encounter with Pauden, the group getting attacked by an overly optimistic forest troll who had greatly overestimated his chances at finishing them off.

Between the seven of them, they had become very adept at fighting trolls by now, Nalia and Aerie using their fire and acid based spells to stop regeneration, Nalia sometimes resorting to her bow and fire arrows when she wished to preserve her magic, Anomen using the Flail of Ages to great effect to smash in the troll skulls and preventing them from rising again.

It seemed that the Shadow Druids that had taken over the grove were rather respectful of the trolls and their territory, choosing to avoid them altogether. It wasn't only after several hours later following their meeting with Pauden that the group of seven ran into other druids, encountering a group of four Shadow Druids fiercely battling a trio of trolls. Neither Leah nor any of her companions felt compelled to help either side, and so they had quietly skirted around the blood soaked battlefield, leaving the two fighting sides to their own devices.

Soon afterwards, however, it seemed as if the troll territory came to an end and they entered the region which was under direct control of the Shadow Druids. They were suddenly confronted by a clearly hostile group of druids, the leader of whom did not appear particularly interested in diplomacy, immediately drawing their weapons and beginning to cast spells directed at Leah and her comrades. However, this group led by someone called Kyland Lind, as one of his fellow druids had referred to him just before having his head splattered by Anomen's flail, were no match for seven seasoned adventurers and went down reasonably quickly before they had managed to cause Leah and her friends any harm.

Not long after that encounter, untroubled by any other druid patrols, the group of seven arrived at a rundown looking shack which to Leah appeared to match the description given to her by the overly friendly Shadow Thief agent Itona. As Leah and the others stayed out of sight, Nalia stealthily sneaked over to the entrance and examined the lock, carefully listening for several minutes before daring to peek inside. Once she had done so, the redhead waved over to them, signaling that it was safe to approach.

"There's nobody here," Nalia spoke up as the others caught up with her, entering the rundown shack.

"I hope that Itona wasn't lying to me about the rakshasa using this place as their lair," Leah grumbled. "That said, there's no sight of this Adratha woman, either."

"Leah, I… I do not think that any potion brewer could work in… in these conditions," Aerie pointed out timidly. "This place is a mess! I don't see any fresh ingredients… no sign that any potions have been made here as of late…"

"Good point, Aerie," Leah nodded. "Someone has been here and made all this mess, but I don't think Adratha herself would have done this. And I doubt these rakshasa are the type to clean up after themselves, so yes, they might have been using this place."

"Some of these marks on the floor look as if they could be bloodstains," Jaheira pointed out, having examined the creaking, rotting boards.

"My Lady… I would not recommend stepping into the pantry," a pale faced Anomen informed them, stepping out of the small side chamber. "It is filled with human bones, all picked clean. Work of these monsters, no doubt!"

"I agree, but they are not here now," Leah sighed. "And I don't think we have the time to set up an ambush, Cernd might be already waiting for us. The rakshasa are probably out hunting and who knows when they will return."

"Cernd himself might be in danger," Jaheira added, looking slightly concerned for her fellow druid.

"Yes, which means that we should definitely hurry towards the druid grove," Leah nodded, leading her friends out of Adratha's shack and back onto the path leading across a bridge and then cutting left through a more dry and forested area, compared to the muddy marsh they had traversed to come this far.

Leah was pleasantly surprised about not encountering any ambushes on their path to the druid grove. It was only at the entrance of the grove, near a massive stone cut henge, that the final Shadow Druid line of defense stepped forth to challenge them, even if they looked rather apprehensive of their own chances when they saw seven well armed adventurers approaching.

"We should call upon Faldorn, Dalok," one of the younger looking adherents spoke to their wild-eyed and slightly insane looking leader.

"Nonsense, Faldorn only respects strength, not the admission of lacking it," Dalok shook his head determinedly as he addressed Leah and her group. "Death to the enemies of Nature!" he chanted angrily. "In Faldorn's name we cleanse the land from you! All will fear where Shadow Druids thread!"

The trio of druids very quickly learned that calling for reinforcements would have been the prudent option, surrendering being the wisest. Within a minute their blood was staining the stone foundation of the henge as Nalia and Aerie looked over Dalok's weapons that seemed to carry powerful enchantments and thus appeared potentially useful for Leah and her group.

"Is everyone alright?" Leah called out to her companions. "Can we continue towards the grove?"

"Everyone seems to be in good health, my L-…" Anomen was about to finish when suddenly there was a loud hissing noise and thick, brown toxic fumes rose from the ground surrounding the party.

"What is happening?" Nalia cried out, coughing violently, when two arches of chain lightning blitzed through the clearing, eliciting cries of pain. Leah instantly realized that they were under attack by someone or something powerful, and her first instinct was to get out of the fumes that threatened to suffocate her and away from the chaos that had erupted around the henge. Next to her, Leah could just about make out Viconia's graceful shape, the Drow diving out of the way and rolling away to avoid the thickest of the fumes, breaking into a quick chant that quickly and blissfully immediately dispersed the fumes, revealing three assailants that had moved to engage them amidst all the chaos.

"Careful, it's the rakshasa!" Leah cried out, watching how the three tiger-headed creatures moved smoothly through their ranks, wielding their swords as expertly as their formidable magic.

The initial assault had taken its toll on the group. Nalia was down and out, having caught the worst of the lightning attack, choking violently on the fumes that she had inhaled. Viconia was busy healing a nasty looking stab wound above her hip, currently unable to return to the fight. Jaheira, Minsc and Anomen had each engaged one of the rakshasa and this gave Leah and Aerie the opportunity to focus on the defensive spells to bolster their front line fighters and give them the aid that they sorely needed.

Even so, the only one who seemed to have an advantage in their respective duel was Minsc, the rakshasa he was facing constantly on the defensive. Jaheira was having a hard time dealing with her opponent's raw strength and speed, the rakshasa forcing her to block an incoming swing and then dropping her with a punch to the chin. As Jaheira crouched on all fours, wheezing in pain, she received a powerful kick to the stomach that sent her flying and struggling to get up, the tiger-like creature quickly swirling around and unleashing a fireball at Leah, Aerie and Viconia.

The Drow simply shielded her eyes from the fire, relying on her innate resistance to magic to shrug off the blast, while Leah and Aerie scampered to get out of the way. Leah just about managed to avoid the explosion, but Aerie's mage robes caught fire and sent her rolling frantically in the grass, screaming in panic as she tried to extinguish the flames.

Minsc appeared to have his opponent on the run, but before the large ranger was able to finish off the rakshasa, Anomen lost his valiant struggle to hold the ground against his attacker. The squire grunted in pain as the tiger-creature's sword bit deep into his right arm, forcing the Helmite to drop the Flail of Ages. The rakshasa quickly snatched it up from the ground and stood over Anomen, ready to smash his head with the powerful weapon. "And so, our cursed flail claims the life of another heroic human," the rakshasa started to swing the weapon, only to be suddenly jumped by some massive looking wild animal, tackling the tiger-creature to the ground and beginning to tear at it with enraged roars and growls.

As Leah was still busy trying to understand what was going on, a massive wolf charged into the clearing and tackled the rakshasa that had cast a fireball at her and Aerie, the two combatants going down in a heap. The battlefield was a complete chaos, and as Leah and Viconia continued to support their allies as best as they could, Leah tried to make sense of what exactly was the creature that had appeared first. It seemed to be smaller in size than a bear, but larger than a wolf, and it was only when Leah could see the furry beast rising on its hind legs that she was able to identify the creature. _A werewolf!_ She shuddered slightly, recalling their dangerous encounters with these powerful lycanthropes on the Isle of Balduran, but fortunately this werewolf truly seemed to be on their side, snarling and tearing at the shocked rakshasa, ignoring its own numerous wounds inflicted by the tiger creature's sword, until the powerful paws of the werewolf finally succeeded in tearing the rakshasa apart.

As the tired and exhausted werewolf slumped off from the bleeding body of its victim, Minsc let out a cry of triumph, finally succeeding in running through his opponent with Sarevok's old sword, then cleanly severing the tiger head from its humanoid shoulders. Anomen was slowly climbing back to his feet, looking to get back into the fight, but the large wolf and the final rakshasa were locked in a desperate tangle on the stony ground, making it hard for anyone to intervene. The battle was eventually decided when the wolf let out a high pitched whine and tumbled to the ground, its stomach opened by the rakshasa sword, innards spilling out as the large animal quickly bled to its death. Still, the rakshasa did not get to celebrate its victory for long, Anomen picking up the fallen flail and taking a wild swing at the helpless tiger-creature, making its head explode like a ripe watermelon.

"I really hope that was not Ihtafeer," Leah said, walking towards the epicenter of the battle to better understand just what had happened.

"No, this should be Ihtafeer," Viconia pointed at the dead rakshasa that had been fighting the werewolf. "It is wearing the clothes of the old potion-brewer."

"Good point," Leah nodded, her eyes then falling on the werewolf, or rather the wounded man lying where the werewolf had fallen, the injuries taking their toll. "Cernd?! You're the werewolf?"

"Yes, though I would have wished this revelation to come under less dramatic circumstances," the grey-haired druid replied, accepting the healing potion from Leah, the young priestess then quickly beginning to cast a healing spell. "Still, you appeared to be in dire need of help, so Pauden and I came to your aid as swiftly as we could. Speaking of Pauden, is he alright?"

Leah glanced over to the fallen man nearby, no longer in his wolf form, wincing as she saw the contents of his stomach spreading out all over the stone floor. "I'm sorry, Cernd… but Pauden is dead."

"Ah… a pity," Cernd sighed. "He was an old friend, and a good man. But such is the circle of life and we are all a part of it…"

"Yes, well, I have to go and check up on the rest of my companions, just to make sure they don't pass on to the next step of this circle of life prematurely," Leah said abruptly, not interested in lengthy nature metaphors when some of her friends were still lying prone, injured.

"I'll take care of the head," Viconia whispered as she quietly moved past Leah, bending down to Ihtafeer's mangled body, answering Leah's grateful smile with one of her own before she began to cut off the rakshasa's head and stuff it into a leather sack for the approval of the Dao genies.

All in all, the group had not suffered as badly as Leah had feared at first. Aerie had gotten off with a slight shock and lightly scorched robes, and was already back on her feet and administering healing to the others. Minsc had miraculously endured only superficial cuts, Anomen looked none worse for the wear once he had healed his bleeding arm, and Jaheira appeared more irritated than hurt, even if the left side of her face where the rakshasa had punched her sported an angry red bruise. Nalia had suffered the worst, still coughing a little and looking wobbly on her legs when Anomen and Aerie together helped her get back up to her feet.

"So, are we ready to proceed inside?" Leah asked, receiving affirmative nods from her group, including a slightly pale looking Nalia. "I assume that you will be joining us, Cernd?" she turned back to look at the werewolf, now seemingly recovered from his injuries.

"Aye, and enter we should with haste, while Faldorn and her mad brethren are still none the wiser, hiding in the grove like a frightened chipmunk hides from the preying fox," Cernd spoke proudly, his fire and passion clearly back with aplomb. "They are ignorant like the ostrich, hiding its head in the sand, like a blind mole seeking to-…" Suddenly, Cernd let out a pained groan, noticing the glistening tip of a bloodied spear, emerging from his chest. He stared at it like entranced for what felt like an eternity, blood gushing and pouring from his mouth, until he slid off from the spear and collapsed face first next to Ihtafeer's corpse, revealing Faldorn's grotesquely painted, madly grinning face behind the fallen werewolf.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt?" the Shadow Druid leader asked innocently. "I just hate these nature metaphors, so tiresome…"

While on some level, Leah almost felt like saying that she agreed with the sentiment, Cernd had been a loyal and dependable ally who had just saved their lives, and did not deserve such an ignoble, underhanded demise. "I should have killed you a long time ago, bitch," Leah snarled, readying her weapon. "A mistake we're going to rectify here and now!"

"Stop, everyone!" one of the druids, an elderly man wearing thick white furs, stepped between Faldorn and Leah's group, completely disregarding the fact that both sides were poised to attack each another. "Faldorn, what are you doing? This man was a fellow druid!" he exclaimed, looking down at Cernd's corpse. "Have you no respect for the ancient rituals? You promised to honor them, but then killed this man on our most sacred ground?" There was some discontent in the shape of muttering from the other druids behind Faldorn's back, enough for the deranged Shadow Druid leader to take a step back and lower her spear.

"My humble apologies, Master Verthan," Faldorn said, sounding more mocking than apologetic. "It seems I have made a tragic mistake of judgment," she added with a roll of her eyes. "But the rest of these trespassers are not druids, our ancient rituals do not apply to them, and for threading the Shadow Druid grounds uninvited they will face the most severe punishment imaginable."

"You might wish to reconsider that statement," Jaheira snapped, her eyes glowing with anger as she stepped forth and took a battle stance at Leah's side. "I am a druid, and I consider the traditions and rituals of this grove to be sacred. And as a druid, I am entitled to answers as to what has transpired here!"

"Ah... it **is** you!" Faldorn snarled, looking enraged as recognition dawned in her eyes. "I thought you looked familiar, but without that spineless dog of a husband always at your beck and call, I did not even recognize you, Jaheira! Well, well..." the crazed Shadow Druid leader rubbed her hands in satisfaction. "This is a most interesting development, indeed..."

"You will be wishing you had not said those words when I squeeze your final breath from your body with these very hands," Jaheira threatened, but Faldorn remained unaffected by her deathly glare, Leah taking that as increasing proof of the Shadow Druid's insanity.

"If you claim to honor the rituals of this grove, then you will do no such thing," Master Verthan called out with authority that every druid present save for Faldorn seemed to respect, and Leah guessed that even the Shadow Druid leader had to obey at least some of the rules in order to keep her less deranged followers satisfied by honoring the traditions. "Jaheira, I know you are an experienced druid with strong faith and convictions, and with decades of loyal service to the Earthmother under your belt. In accordance with our most sacred rituals, the current leader of the grove..." he pointed at Faldorn, shadow of a scowl on his wrinkled face, "can only be challenged by someone who is at least their equal. And I deem you to be worthy to issue such a challenge for the leadership of the grove."

"Then I guess it will be my task to show that you are making a mistake by assuming this half-breed to be my equal, Master Verthan," Faldorn chuckled, then giving another taunting look at Jaheira. "That is, if you even have the backbone to challenge me, Jaheira. Or perhaps you are just as spineless as your husband?"

"Oh, I will challenge you, make no mistake about it," Jaheira snarled before looking at Master Verthan again. "If you deem me worthy, Master Verthan, then I hereby officially challenge Faldorn for the leadership of this grove."

"A challenge that I will gladly accept," Faldorn retorted with fanatical confidence. "I revel in the combat of the rituals, and I welcome the chance to end your miserable existence. Come, then, to your death!" With that, Faldorn turned around and left the stone circle of the henge, entering the large mouth of a nearby cavern, followed by a group of her supporters, Master Verthan amongst them, urging Jaheira, Leah and their friends to join them.

The inside of the cavern was large and bright, split into two parts by a large font and bubbling brook of clear, bright water. At the back of the cavern, Leah could see something that looked almost like a small, garish throne, likely reserved for the Grand Druid or Archdruid, and several stone seats surrounding the throne, probably used for official meetings amongst the elders of the region, or something similar. Directly opposite the entrance of the cavern was a smooth, circular carved pit, obviously serving the purposes of ritual combat. Next to the pit, Leah could already see Faldorn stripping out of her leather armor, surrounded by her fanatical supporters.

"Don't tell me that you're going to be fighting in the nude," Leah whispered to Jaheira, noticing that the druidess had also began fiddling with the straps of her armor.

"No armor, but I am allowed to keep my tunic on," Jaheira shrugged, not looking particularly bothered. "Also, we can use only simple, wooden staves that have not been enchanted by magic."

"Here, let me help," Leah said quickly, coming to help her friend and assisting Jaheira in quickly shedding her armor, the druidess remaining clad only in the skimpy tunic that barely covered her thighs. "Are you sure about this, Jaheira?" the young priestess whispered nervously. "You did take a couple of nasty blows by that rakshasa..."

"It is nothing that will stop me from tearing out the throat of that pathetic usurper," Jaheira snarled angrily, dissuading Leah from any further inquiries about the wisdom of this course of action. The half-elf stepped forward to choose from the selection of several wooden staves, presented to her by the challenge master, testing a few before finding one which appeared to have the best balance. Jaheira continued to twirl the staff in her hands, making a few quick practice strikes while keeping her eyes locked with Faldorn's in an attempt to intimidate the younger woman. "Do not make a fuss, Leah," Jaheira finally said, turning around to face the young Sorlyn. "I know what I am doing. Faldorn is young and inexperienced, hardly a match for me."

"Don't underestimate her, Jaheira," Leah warned, still feeling worried. She simply did not like the confident look in Faldorn's eyes throughout the entire encounter thus far, as if the crazed Shadow Druid truly had a reason to believe that she was invulnerable. "Good luck, and kick her ass, my friend."

"It will be done," Jaheira replied, jumping down into the pit where Faldorn already awaited with her weapon at the ready. Shortly afterwards, Master Verthan gave the signal and the duel began, both combatants circling each other wearily, carefully probing their defenses with testing swings of the staff.

Even through this careful, scouting opening part of the duel, the deep sense of worry refused to leave Leah. By all accounts, Jaheira was both stronger and more agile than her opponent, but why then was Faldorn so confident in her ability to emerge victorious? Was it simply the conviction of a fanatic, or was there something else that both she and Jaheira had overlooked?

Meanwhile, the fight between the two combatants was slowly starting to heat up. Spellcasting was all but impossible in these tight quarters, any attempts to do so would be swiftly interrupted by swift bludgeoning with a wooden stave, and both opponents wisely did not attempt to invite fate by resorting to the use of magic. Jaheira had managed to land a few hits, but they had been aimed at non-vital areas and did not appear to slow Faldorn down any. Another exchange of blows threw the Shadow Druid off balance, and Leah and her friends all cheered as one as Jaheira lashed out, smacking the pointy end of her staff against Faldorn's knee with a satisfying crack, making the crazy fanatic cry out in pain.

However, instead of being crippled by the precision blow to her knee, Faldorn began to laugh through her pain, green tendrils briefly enveloping her shin, regenerating spells quickly mending the smashed knee and it seemed as if a surge of powerful energy had lifted Faldorn, she suddenly appeared stronger, faster and even more confident, striking out at the slightly stunned Jaheira, painfully catching her on the left wrist and nearly forcing her to drop her staff.

"What sort of foul magic is this?" Jaheira demanded, suddenly having to go on the defensive to absorb the rain of blows coming her way. "What have you done, Faldorn?"

"I have bonded with the grove itself, fool!" Faldorn replied with a manic grin of victory on her face. "No harm can come to me here! Such bonding is frowned upon by gullible weaklings like you, as it drains from the earth, but the mother feeds me so that I might fight for her!"

"You are insane!" Jaheira shouted, attempting to launch a counterattack and briefly managing to drive Faldorn back, cornering her and delivering several sharp blows to the Shadow Druid's ribs which only made Faldorn laugh, her body once again enveloped by the healing and bolstering energies of the grove, and moments later she was pushing Jaheira back on the defensive again, a few hits slipping past Jaheira's desperate defenses and hitting their mark. Another blow caught the half-elf on the shin and sent her tumbling to the ground, but as Faldorn sought to finish her off with a powerful overhead blow, Jaheira nimbly rolled out of the way and Faldorn's staff smashed against the stone floor, splintering in small pieces, much to the delight of Leah and her friends.

As Faldorn was still confusedly looking at the remains of the staff in her hands, Jaheira quickly lashed out with her leg, kicking the Shadow Druid hard in the stomach and making her collapse on the ground. Without wasting any more time, Jaheira swiftly rose and brought her staff down hard on Faldorn's back with enough force to snap her opponent's spine. While it sent Faldorn crashing to the stone floor with a pained grunt, it also caused Jaheira's weapon to break apart in pieces that were too small to be useful.

"Go on! Finish her off!" Leah shouted nervously, standing next to Viconia and anxiously gripping the Drow's hand without even realizing it.

Jaheira was about to approach Faldorn for the coup de grace when the Shadow Druid stirred and rose from where she had fallen, looking extremely angered, bathed in the green light of regenerating energies. "Enough games!" she yelled, her body beginning to blur and shiver. "Time to finish you off, weakling!" Faldorn exclaimed as her shape twisted and changed, revealing a large black panther where she had stood moments ago. Jaheira had no options to defend other than to shape-change herself, but as she attempted to do so, the massive panther tackled her with a fierce leap, knocking the half-elf to the ground.

The sharp claws of Faldorn's panther form cut into Jaheira's arms as she desperately tried to protect her face and throat from being slashed. Blood was spraying everywhere as she unsuccessfully tried to push the panther off and away from herself. At one point, Jaheira managed to grab the panther's forepaws and hold them off, but this left her vulnerable to the sharp fangs of the black cat's mouth, lunging for her and just barely missing the jugular as Jaheira pulled back at the last moment.

"By Milil..." Leah gasped, her knees growing weak as she watched the pool of blood under Jaheira slowly spreading from the numerous cuts she had sustained already. "I... I can't watch this..." She wrapped her arms around whoever was closest to her in search of comfort, burying her face in Viconia's shoulder, unable to watch as Jaheira looked to be condemned to certain death in the pit below.

"I... I'm sure... she knows what she's doing..." Viconia replied, but her voice was quiet and trembling, lacking any confidence, even if she did not avert her eyes from the horrible spectacle.

Down in the pit, Jaheira was forced to release the animal's forepaws in order to grab the panther's neck and try to keep the head and those dangerous sharp fangs away from her throat. This left Faldorn's claws free to continue ravaging Jaheira's torso, sharp nails ripping the tunic and soaking it with more blood. As the black panther's sharp nails dug into her side one more time, Jaheira let out a sharp cry of pain and did the only thing she could. She launched herself forward with all force and struck the panther on its nose with her forehead, momentarily stunning the animal. This gave the half-elf the tiny window of time that she required for the last gasp plan to save her life and defeat Faldorn.

Jaheira's body began to twist and morph with the druidic magic of shape-change, but even before the transformation was complete, the druidess lunged forward one more time, aiming for Faldorn's throat. The teeth that dug into the large cat's soft throat initially belonged to a half-elven woman, but mere moments later, the panther found its neck in the jaws of a massive brown mountain bear. With an enraged growl, the bear twisted its head, tearing out massive chunks of flesh from the black panther's throat, sending showers of blood and gore everywhere, almost up to the edge of the pit, forcing the gasping spectators to recoil.

The panther left out a gargling, wheezing noise and collapsed on top of the bear, its shape starting to twist and shimmer, as did that of the bear underneath the great cat. In a matter of moments, Faldorn and Jaheira had returned to their true forms, Faldorn quite clearly dead, her head only barely attached to her body, hanging on a few strips of skin at the back of her neck. As for Jaheira, it was very difficult to tell as she was completely covered in blood and gore, and most of it did not even belong to Faldorn.

Leah finally dared to look down into the pit, wanting, needing to see her friend looking up to her, smiling to give her assurance that despite her terrible injuries she was going to be alright... but no such assurances were forthcoming. Jaheira was looking up, yes... but not at her... instead her empty stare seemed go right through Leah.

With an anguished scream, Leah jumped into the pit, dragging Viconia with her, praying inwardly that it would not be too late to help her most trusted friend, her heart clenching tightly and cold feeling spreading from her stomach when she noticed the grim expression in Viconia's eyes...


	27. Chapter 27

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Leah shook her head in disbelief, watching as Jaheira carefully hobbled along the path ahead of her, supporting herself against Minsc's towering frame with one hand and wielding a sturdy oaken walking stick in her other hand. "I must be the worst leader ever to allow you to be walking around so soon after a near death experience..."

"I told you, I feel perfectly fine," Jaheira replied, or rather, lied completely unconvincingly. After Leah and Viconia had somehow pulled her back from the brink of death, Jaheira had slept for twelve hours, but upon waking had stubbornly requested that they would make an immediate return to Trademeet. Everyone had benefitted from this lengthy period of rest, especially both Leah and Viconia, having exhausted most of their healing spells to save the druidess' life. Leah had next to no recollection of the entire experience, her memories completely blurry as she had performed all the necessary manipulations operating purely on instinct, as if in trance. The relief of having succeeded had been immense, and her pride had swelled when even the usually critical Viconia had praised her performance afterwards.

"Yes, I can see that from how you can barely walk," Leah sighed, even as she knew that berating the stubborn druidess was a doomed undertaking. She wondered why Jaheira was so determined to risk her recovery in order to return to Trademeet so hastily, it was not as if either of their tasks had some kind of timeframe that they were pressed to meet. _Then again, after all that has happened, I wouldn't put it past Jaheira to simply feel guilty about being the cause of delay... as dumb as that sounds..._

"So how come you don't have to stay at the grove, Jaheira?" Viconia asked, walking side by side with Leah on the narrow path stretching through the marshland. "I thought that by killing Faldorn you have become the new Mistress of Tree-huggers?"

"Still so desperate to get rid of me, are you, Viconia?" Jaheira chuckled weakly.

"You do realize that it would have been extremely easy on my part to allow you to expire after the beating that you received from a slightly larger than average housecat," Viconia snorted disdainfully, sounding as if she had actually taken offense from Jaheira's words.

"I know... and I am sorry, it was a poor jest," the half-elf, much to her credit, apologized immediately, the unexpectedly civil exchange between the two making Leah's eyebrows rise in surprise. "But to answer your question, yes, technically I am now the Great Druid of the Trademeet Grove. However, Master Verthan has agreed to take over these responsibilities until... well, if there even comes a time when I will return to this place."

"I would not have held it against you if you had decided to stay, you know," Leah remarked casually, though in her heart she was immeasurably glad to still have Jaheira by her side. "Perhaps... perhaps you would have been safer there. From... the Harpers, I mean..."

"No," Jaheira said sternly, making her thoughts on the matter clear. "It is not up for discussion."

"Boo says that noble Jaheira's place will always be with the group," Minsc intoned in a serious, gravelly voice. "She will look out for us just as much as we look out for and protect her. Also, Boo wants you to know that you give the most excellent belly rubs to ease his tummy when it is upset from eating too many sunflower seeds."

"Minsc, you tell Boo that he is welcome to free belly rubs any time," Jaheira replied with a weak chuckle, sounding deeply exhausted. "And the sentiment is very much appreciated, believe me."

"Do you think the grove will recover without you being there to oversee it?" Nalia asked, walking a little behind together with Aerie, Anomen bringing up the rear. "Can this Master Verthan be trusted to keep things in control?"

"I think so," Jaheira shrugged tiredly. "He follows the old ways and detests the teachings of the Shadow Druids. But like with many others amongst the local circle, traditions forced him to follow Faldorn when she defeated the previous Great Druid in a ritual combat. It seems that Faldorn's true followers were few in number, and now they are either dead or on the run."

"I'm just glad they did not hold it against us that we were forced to kill some druids who probably didn't even want to follow that horrible Faldorn," Aerie added timidly.

"Yes, we did rather thin their numbers, didn't we?" Leah wondered aloud. "I hope that Verthan has enough people to do what needs to be done. Trademeet will probably want reparations as well..."

"That could complicate things, indeed," Jaheira nodded. "But right now, his first priority, as we discussed earlier, is to make sure that the land heals properly from the horrible, corrupting bonding ritual that Faldorn forced upon it. Everything else is secondary to making sure that the land is free of corruption and-..." at that moment Jaheira slipped on a muddy rock and nearly fell, only for Minsc to catch her at the last moment.

"Well, that does it," Leah sighed, shaking her head again as she watched the druidess clearly struggling to walk straight from exhaustion. "How long until we reach the edge of this darned swamp?"

"Boo says that we have less than an hour to trudge through this mud," Minsc replied before Jaheira could get a word in. "Boo is looking forward to being able to stretch his tiny little legs on solid ground by chasing squirrels," the large ranger added by the way of explanation, having noticed that Leah was giving him an odd stare.

"I see..." the young Sorlyn remarked. "Anyway, as soon as we leave the marsh behind us, we're going to break for camp."

"What, why would we do such a thing, Trademeet is very close!" Jaheira protested, as expected.

"Because you can barely walk, Jaheira," Leah sighed deeply. "It was a stupid decision on my part to allow myself to be convinced by your irrational arguments back at the grove."

"I can walk just fine!" Jaheira tried to shout, but found herself too exhausted to even raise her voice.

"Leah is right, Jaheira," unexpectedly, Aerie was the first one to side with her. "You clearly need more rest. Your injuries were... horrible. There is no shame in needing time to recover..."

"This is ridiculous, I will not stand for-..." Jaheira still did not back down, forcing Leah to cut in and interrupt her.

"We will break for camp and you will listen to what I say, or I will ask Minsc to carry you the rest of the way," Leah chuckled.

"Minsc would do so gladly," the large ranger responded enthusiastically. "Boo could snuggle in on your chest and comfort you, Jaheira."

"You... you would not dare..." Jaheira hissed.

"Oh? I would not dare?" Leah eagerly took up the challenge, even if she knew that she was inviting retaliation once Jaheira had recovered. "Everyone, stop!" she called out, and once the procession had ground to a halt, Leah approached the druidess who was too tired to even appear angry, and easily wrestled the walking cane from her hand, then throwing it away into a muddy puddle of the marsh, well beyond anyone's reach.

"By Silvanus, what are you doing, fool girl?" Jaheira groaned, slumping on the ground, only for Minsc to catch her at the last moment again.

"I'm just making sure that Minsc has to carry you now," Leah responded with a mirthful chuckle, laughing when the joyous looking ranger easily picked the weakly struggling druidess up from the ground and easily took her in his massive arms, looking unaffected by carrying a seething half-elf wearing a chain mail.

"I will not forget this, you can be sure of it!" Jaheira ranted weakly, but it did not take more than a few minutes for her to fall asleep in Minsc's arms, succumbing to the exhaustion and still feeling weakened after suffering a myriad of injuries in her fight with Faldorn. After a while, probably having made sure that the druidess was fast asleep, Boo scurried out from one of his hiding places amongst Minsc's belongings and settled on the chest of the sleeping Jaheira, looking very content and almost smug as the procession continued on their way out of the swamp.

"You know, this is about the only way I can tolerate our argumentative mongrel," Viconia whispered, leaning closer to Leah as they walked step in step.

"What, beaten up senseless?" Leah raised her eyebrow in reply.

"No," Viconia laughed out loud. "I meant mute."

* * *

Due to the unplanned, but much needed break for camp during their path back to Trademeet, Leah and her group arrived back in the city late in the evening. Minsc and Aerie took a still rather edgy Jaheira back to Vyatri's Inn, while Leah together with the others began the brief trek to visit their employers in order to claim the promised rewards. Already, they had received a very useful gift from Master Verthan, the Staff of Thunder and Lightning which Jaheira had handed over to Aerie, preferring to stick with the powerfully enchanted scimitar which they had found on one of the rakshasa in Ihtafeer's employ. The impressive staff of druid make was almost larger than the lightly built avariel, but carrying the weapon seemed to give Aerie the confidence that she still sorely lacked.

Leah chose the genie tent as their first destination, Viconia presenting the foul smelling bag containing Ihtafeer's head to an astonished looking Khan Zahraa. The genie leader appeared incredibly pleased, but instead of leaving Leah with a pile of gold that she had hoped to receive as a reward from the wealthy djinn, Khan Zahraa presented the young priestess with a delicate looking magical scimitar that he fondly referred to as Rashad's Talon. Before Leah had the opportunity to ask for gold instead of a magical weapon, the djinn fulfilled the other part of the bargain and simply disappeared from view with a puff of smoke, taking their tent with them and leaving Leah and her friends standing confused in the market square, nearby playing Rom children appearing equally stunned.

Although Leah felt a little disappointed about not receiving a larger reward, she had to admit that the scimitar was very light and had just the perfect balance for her liking, and she decided to appropriate it in favor of her well worn non-enchanted falchion which by now could barely pierce a goblin's skin. Besides, as Jaheira had told her a long time ago, it would not take only gold to rescue Imoen, they also needed to be well equipped, and Rashad's Talon went some way towards that goal.

Following the resolution with the djinn, Leah decided to take her group to Lord Coprith's estate, despite the lateness of the hour hoping to catch Guildmistress Busya or the mayor himself at their respective offices. The door guard informed them that they were in luck and both Busya and Coprith were still on the premises, and able to receive them. Leah first stopped to visit the cold and largely unpleasant guildmistress, hoping that the news of the Dao departure would improve Busya's disposition. The guildmistress refused to take her word about successful completion of the task for granted, Leah and her friends forced to endure a wait until Busya ran to the marketplace and back, returning with a look of astonishment on her face.

"I... you must forgive me for my disbelief," the guildmistress apologized sourly. "Do you have any idea where the Dao djinn went?"

"No idea," Leah shrugged. "Does it matter? Probably back to Calimshan. Or do you miss them already?"

"Ha! Hardly..." Busya laughed abruptly, sitting back down in her chair, looking deep in thought. "But yes... it appears that you have successfully resolved the problems plaguing our fair town. Very well... let it not be said that I am not a woman of my word," she said with a slight frown, facing Anomen with a stern stare. "Consider the debts of your family settled, Anomen Delryn. But in future, any prospective deals with Lord Cor will be conducted only after receiving our gold up front."

"I understand your cautiousness, Guildmistress, as much as I might wish there would be no reason for it," Anomen sighed, shaking his head sadly. "Still, I thank you, my Lady."

"As for an additional reward that you so aggressively insisted upon," Busya continued, giving Leah a none too impressed stare.

"Don't give me that, Guildmistress," the young Sorlyn refused to be intimidated or swayed by Busya's tactics. "I'm not going to feel guilty because I know that I am not asking for much. Your merchant's guild is known to be filthy rich, and I have just done you a huge favor. You would do well to show your gratitude without the entire display of dramatic charade."

"I... fine," Busya looked as if she wanted to protest, but then simply shrugged and turned around to open a strongbox behind her back and removed a nicely crafted light shield and two small sacks, passing it all to Leah. "Two thousand and five hundred gold, a bag of jewels of equal worth, and a magical shield that belonged to one of the sadly killed prefects of the city guard. I trust that it will suffice?"

"Oh... yes, most definitely!" Leah exclaimed, taking the items from Busya, finally feeling relieved and happy to see such a significant contribution to Imoen's Rescue Fund. _If the gems really are worth as much as she says, we might be up to fifteen thousand! Nearly there... Imoen, just hold on for us, we are coming to get you back! I just need you to endure a little bit longer..._ "Thank you, this will do nicely!"

"In that case... there are reports I must finish, as well as to inform the members of the merchant's guild about these new developments," Busya said firmly, though at least she did not look displeased anymore. "I thank you for your service."

"Farewell, Guildmistress," Leah said, rising and motioning for her friends to do the same. "Now, let's go and pester the mayor and see how happy he is about the attacks on Trademeet finally coming to an end." _And hopefully he will be just as generous as Busya... without the attitude, perhaps._

In the end, Leah ended up receiving nothing from Lord Coprith, at least for the time being. Instead, the mayor of the city was intent to organize a grand party on the evening of the next day to celebrate them as the heroes of Trademeet, promising that at the end of the celebrations they would be presented with an appropriately lavish reward for their service. Leah inwardly grumbled a little before accepting, realizing that after the hard travel and fighting over the past few days, her friends might actually appreciate a full day of rest and relaxation, and Milil knew they had certainly earned it. Not to mention that Jaheira could have still used some extended recovery time. As for Leah herself, the more she thought about it, the more the idea of dressing up nicely and being hailed as the heroine of the town started to become appealing, even if a part of her still felt guilty for delaying the mission to rescue Imoen.

The majority of the next day was spent in preparation for the upcoming celebrations. Living on the road, Leah rarely had opportunities to indulge herself like this, so she did her best to push the intrusive feelings of guilt aside and tried to enjoy herself as best as she could, starting with a proper and soothingly relaxing warm bath shortly after breakfast. Lord Coprith had sent over maids from his own household, along with people from the local barbershop and tailor's guild to oversee everything, and they spent the rest of the day in getting them all presentable for the grand party.

The two young ladies attending to Leah certainly seemed very knowledgeable and their suggestions for the young priestess' attire and appearance most of the time met with Leah's immediate approval. As always, dealing with her hair took most of the time, the hairdresser unable to come up with any good solutions on just how to style her lovely chestnut brown hair now that it had started to re-grow after the hasty cut she had received back in Athkatla. Her hair was nearly shoulder length and the tips of the locks were starting to curl gently, close to getting back to the way it had been before they got jumped outside of Baldur's Gate, and close to how Leah preferred to wear it. Still, the hairdresser was adamant that she should allow him to cut her hair even shorter, insisting that Leah would be completely astonished by the end result. After trying several other ideas and arguing for almost a couple of hours, Leah finally gave in and allowed the hairdresser to work, resigned to trusting in the man's better judgment. In the end, she had to give the hairdresser his due, completely enchanted with the wonderful outcome, a lovely pixie cut with longer bangs swept to one side so that they partly obscured her left eye.

Sorting out the rest of her appearance took comparatively less time. Leah nodded her approval at the second of the dresses she had tried on and the maids consulting her also agreed with her choice, a sexy strapless red dress that went along beautifully with her new hairdo. It was a slightly braver selection than Leah would usually make, but deep inside her spirit of performer craved the attention and forced her shyness away, knowing that the alluring display of her naked shoulders and revealing tops of her breasts would capture the attention of the guests. _Well, unless Viconia will choose something even more scandalous... and now that I think about it, she will probably do just that._

To further enhance her appearance, Leah selected a matching ruby necklace, the glistening red gem resting enticingly in the valley of her breasts. Then came the time to apply her makeup, easy touches of dark red eye-shadow to level out the tonal contrast between her hair and the red dress, and finally, application of matching red lip gloss finished off Leah's brand new looks which she continued to admire for a quarter of an hour after her assistants had left, scarcely able to believe that the person in the mirror was little Leah from Candlekeep.

Come the evening time, another servant of mayor's arrived to take Leah to the Coprith Estate. She had not met any of her friends throughout the day, everyone too busy with their own preparations, and so she was incredibly excited to see just how handsome everyone would look and what outfits they would have chosen. Jaheira was the only one already present at the garishly decorated halls of the Coprith Estate, looking very comely in her fairly simple green dress. Due to the scars she was still sporting after her encounter with Faldorn, Jaheira was forced to choose a dress with high neck and long sleeves, Leah feeling slightly disappoint about it, even if she still approved greatly that Jaheira had taken to wearing her hair long once again, abolishing the dreadlocks.

Anomen and Minsc arrived next, both looking impressive and proud like peacocks, Leah at first having difficulties in recognizing Anomen now that he had been cleanly shaved after a barber's visit. Anomen was wearing the blue and red colored tabard of the Order over his chemise, while Minsc looked like the perfect gentleman in his light brown doublet and grey breeches, the image slightly spoiled by the excited, but very clean and tidy looking hamster perched on his shoulder. Anomen opened his mouth, seemingly to say something flattering about Leah's appearance, but stopped when a pair of satin-gloved hands sneaked around Leah's naked shoulders.

" _Abbil_ , you do look so very lovely tonight," Viconia purred, sliding in to take her place next to Leah. "I very much approve of your choice of dress, Leah... very much..."

"Thanks, Viconia," Leah replied, managing to avoid blushing for once. "Umm... you look very... pretty, yourself..." As far as Leah herself was concerned, that was a screaming understatement, once she had taken in Viconia's appearance. The Drow had chosen a strapless dark blue dress of very similar design to Leah's, but it seemed to have a far more revealing cleavage and the slits along her hips ran a fair bit higher than on Leah's dress. But if there was one thing about Viconia's appearance that made Leah's head spin and knees buckle from sudden desire, it was those long, dark blue satin gloves that complimented the entire ensemble, Leah unable to deny to herself that for some reason she found Viconia's gloves incredibly sexy, supplying her with all sorts of inappropriate mental images where she was removing said gloves with her teeth.

Fortunately, Leah was saved from embarrassing herself by the appearance of Nalia and Aerie, the two dressed up like sisters in matching dresses, Aerie all in yellow, Nalia in bright blue. Nalia's red hair had been formed in curls similar to the avariel's natural locks, making the human mage appear almost elven just like her friend. Leah had barely managed to compliment both girls on their choice of outfits when Aerie burst out with questions. "Were you also visited by Lord Coprith's magic advisor?" she asked excitedly, flush in her cheeks. "He used a spell to memorize our appearance... why do you think he would do that?"

"No idea," Leah shrugged. Amongst all the excitement she had forgotten about the brief visit of Coprith's pet mage. "Maybe they want to make a drawing of us all, or something equally silly."

"Well, I think that it would be a wonderful gesture," Nalia frowned, clearly disagreeing with Leah.

"I'd rather have the gold they spent on hiring an artisan going to Imoen's Rescue Fund, but... the mayor promised a generous enough reward, so I guess it's not a big deal," Leah replied, then forced to cut their conversation short as a larger group of guests together with the head of the estate entered the grand hall, accompanied by loud sounds of fanfares. "And speaking of the mayor, I guess we'll finally get these celebrations started..."

And indeed, less than a quarter of an hour later, Lord Coprith was finally ready to open the proceedings with a rousing speech. Leah and her friends were brought before the mayor to the center of the hall, while the gathered guests, garishly dressed nobles and merchants, formed a loose semi-circle around them. "Citizens of Trademeet!" High Merchant Logan Coprith announced proudly. "We are gathered here today to honor the heroes of our small town, led by Lady Leah of Candlekeep. They have not only stopped the assault of nature upon us by removing the evil druid that had taken over our local grove, but they have also spared us from the recent domination of the genies!"

The crowd exploded in rapturous applause but soon quieted down, allowing Lord Coprith to continue. "You are once again free to walk the streets of Trademeet, and new caravans have already been hired to bring supplies to our local merchants," the mayor spoke, his words met with continuous applause. "It is good to know that even though we do not have our beloved Waukeen looking out for us, we still have people like this who we can turn to in a time of need! From this day forth, I declare that these companions be known as the Heroes of Trademeet! You will always be welcome here. You are real heroes who have shown true valiance to my people. I thank you, and hope that the gods smile on your journeys."

And with the end of the speech, the celebration party truly kicked off. Leah was delighted to notice that Lord Coprith had hired Alenina to perform throughout the evening, intending to if not join the likable bard for a song or two, then at least have a good, long conversation and hopefully exchange a few notes and perhaps even be allowed to copy some songs from the Tethyrian's repertoire. The young priestess first spent some time speaking with the mayor after his rousing speech, Coprith letting her know that a monetary reward of five thousand gold was waiting to be picked up by Leah at any time following the celebrations, for now locked in the strongbox at the mayor's office. Lord Logan also mentioned some kind of a surprise gift to them all, hinting that they should all go visit the fountain at the town square on the next morning, refusing to elaborate even at Leah's insistent prodding.

Afterwards, Leah had told the mayor more detailed recount of their adventures, especially turning his attention to how it had been Jaheira who had defeated Faldorn in a dramatic and almost fatal duel for the half-elf. She did not hesitate to mention how Jaheira had been heckled and abused by the townspeople before that, and once Lord Logan looked suitably guilty and apologetic, Leah innocently suggested that Jaheira could do with some company and a dance partner for the evening. The hint was taken immediately and Leah felt incredibly pleased when Jaheira actually accepted the invitation to dance, spending most of the evening in the mayor's company, whether it was dancing or idly discussing one topic or another, the druidess now and then also managing a smile, seeing which filled Leah with delight.

After her chat with Lord Coprith, Leah had been intercepted by two arguing nobles, Lady Lilith Lurraxol and Lord Skarmaen Alibakkar pouncing upon her like some kind of prey. It seemed as if their families were involved in a feud that had lasted for centuries, both claiming that they were the founding family of this town, and Leah suspected that the lucrative task they both offered to her would somehow be related to this feud. For now, she had refrained from making any promises to either of the nobles, wanting more time to decide and gather information. According to Boo's infinite wisdom, neither of the nobles were to be trusted, and in case of Lady Lilith, Boo appeared to have come to this conclusion by somehow falling into the noble lady's impressive cleavage, causing her to start screaming about a rat in her dress. A rather upset looking Minsc had reached out to retrieve Boo, but somehow managed to grab a lot more than just the smug looking hamster, causing Lady Lilith to squeak and collapse with very proper ladylike fainting.

Hours later, Leah found herself taking a breather to rest her legs, enjoying a glass of expensive red wine and observing how the rest of her friends were enjoying the party. Minsc spent most of the time feeding Boo and chatting with servant girls at the laden food tables, frustrating the girls a little when he completely failed to register their attempts at flirting and merely continued to lavish his attention upon the engorged looking hamster. Aerie and Nalia were also not complaining about the lack of attention, plenty of young nobles and merchants fighting for their attention, while Jaheira continued to spend time in riveting conversations at the mayor's table. Viconia certainly seemed to be capturing most of the stares from the men in attendance, but after a few had hesitantly tried to ask her for a dance and found themselves getting told to leave her alone, the Drow had spent most of her time enjoying the wine that she proclaimed to be surprisingly tolerable. Still, now that Anomen had excused himself for a visit to the bathroom and given Leah a break from all the dancing, the young Sorlyn walked up to Viconia to berate her friend for not getting into the spirit of the celebrations.

"Do you really want to spend all the time sitting in the corner and moping, Vic?" Leah asked, grinning at the Drow. "Come now, there has to be someone decent you could dance with."

"There is only one person here I would consider dancing with, but unfortunately she has been monopolized by a complete _iblith_ ," Viconia replied with an intense stare that made Leah freeze momentarily.

"Who... me?" Leah blinked. "Umm, Anomen does not have any claim like that on me. You only have to ask..."

"I do not see two women dancing together," Viconia spoke quietly as she looked at the dance floor. "I do not know whether your surfacer customs allow for it."

"Maybe they don't... but I don't care," Leah shrugged. "And normally, I would not expect you to care either. So, as far as I'm concerned, you only need to ask."

"Fine," Viconia smiled faintly. "Will you honor me with a dance, little _jalil_?"

"Gladly," Leah grinned, taking the offered hand as together they joined the other dancers, ignoring the few heads turned in surprise at the two beautiful priestesses dancing together. As far as Leah was concerned, she ignored everything surrounding her every time when Viconia was this close to her, the Sharran's gloved hands resting on Leah's shoulders, Leah's arms wrapped around the Drow's back, their breasts now and then accidentally brushing together as they swayed to the rhythm of the music, Leah feeling a torrid heat slowly starting to spread throughout her, fueled by the intense, sensual look in Viconia's eyes whenever she dared to allow their eyes to meet.

"My Lady, I am ready to continue," the erotically charged bliss was suddenly interrupted by Anomen's voice, the squire looking expectantly at her, seemingly completely ignoring the fact that she was currently dancing with Viconia.

"I'm sorry, Anomen, but as you can see I am busy right now," Leah replied, swallowing her frustration at the interruption. "We can dance again later after Viconia and I are done."

"Are... are you serious, my Lady?" Anomen asked with the kind of look on his face that suggested that nobody in their right mind would want to dance with the Drow.

"Yes, I am completely serious," Leah replied sternly. "Might I add that you are being extremely rude right now, Anomen?"

"I... apologize, I meant no offense," Anomen muttered, swallowing his anger as he slouched away.

"What has gotten into him, I wonder?" Leah sighed as they once again began to move with the rhythm of the music.

"Ignore him, the filthy dog is simply mad with jealousy," Viconia laughed.

"Jealousy?" Leah shook her head in disbelief. "But we are simply dancing! Why would he..."

"Like I said... pay him no further heed, my lovely _jalil_ ," Viconia purred, pulling Leah a little more tightly against herself, the closer body contact immediately purging any other thoughts from Leah's mind.

Dancing with Anomen had been... nice, but nice in a way of having a good meal, or going out on a scenic walk... but dancing with Viconia was... completely different, the sensations were building gradually, slowly setting her on fire, turning her hypersensitive to every touch of the Drow, making her hope that the feeling of being set on flames was not reflecting on her face… and the experience was not merely torturously enjoyable, it was also powerfully addictive. Leah felt her arms involuntarily squeezing more tightly around Viconia, needing more contact, more stimulation, more of everything, and when Viconia's glowed fingers began to lightly caress her back, the young Sorlyn could not stop herself from letting a tiny moan escape her lips.

She realized what she had done moments later, her eyes widening as she suddenly pulled away from the Drow. "I... um, I need a little break... I'm sorry," with that, she quickly dashed towards the stairs to the upper floor to seek a little respite and calm down her raging passions. _I... I don't think I can control this any longer..._ Leah mused to herself, breathing deeply, her back pressed against the wall as thoughts raced through her head. _Maybe... maybe I have to send her away... because this is driving me mad..._

"Ah, there you are hiding, little _jalil_ ," Viconia's soft voice startled her, Leah cringing in frustration as she noticed the Drow walking up the stairs to stand in front of her, smug, confident grin on her sensual lips. "I thought that you were enjoying yourself... was I mistaken?"

"I... I, no, not at all, I mean... I was enjoying myself, I just needed to... to..."

"You don't need to explain, Leah, I know perfectly well what is happening... the reaction of your body is so easy to read," the Drow purred, pressing closer, her glowed hand sliding up and down Leah's side. "I can feel how much your body wants me... how much **you** want me... to touch you... to feel you... to claim you..."

"I don't think that..." Leah tried to speak, but was suddenly cut off by the softest, most sensual kiss as the Drow's lips pressed against hers, the contact almost electrifying. These were not the chaste, bumbling kisses she had shared with Anomen, no, the way that Viconia kissed her could not be described but it made Leah melt in the Drow's arms, kissing Viconia back and hoping that she did not come across as a completely inexperienced fool... which she admittedly was. She groaned in Viconia's mouth, feeling the Drow's clever tongue wrestling with hers before slipping into Leah's mouth, the young priestess eagerly allowing the Drow to take control, feeling Viconia's arms all over her body, enflaming her further.

It was only when she felt Viconia's hand slipping between their bodies and beginning to slowly creep towards her burning core, desperately twitching with need, when Leah froze with reawakened fear of just how far she was allowing the Drow to go. "No… oh god, please… no, this is wrong," she gasped, pulling away from Viconia's hot mouth.

"Mmm, _jalil_ , how can something this good be wrong?" Viconia purred, then looking a little surprised when Leah pushed her away decisively.

"Don't... just... don't follow me!" Leah exclaimed, dashing down the stairs, not caring if her appearance appeared ruffled, heading for the front doors with hasty, determined steps.

"My Lady?" suddenly she found Anomen standing in her way, looking at her with concern in his deep brown eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"I just... need to get some fresh air," Leah muttered quickly, an idea suddenly forming in her mind. "Would you accompany me?"

"Of course, Leah," Anomen smiled as they left the Coprith Estate, Leah wasting no time in walking a little away from the house, leaning with her back against a tree and trying to steady herself. "You do look upset about something, my Lady. Was it something that the Drow said... or did?" Anomen asked again.

"No… and I don't want to talk about Viconia, please," Leah said, reaching out and surprising Anomen by taking his hand. "I'd like to spend the rest of the evening dancing with you, after I have recovered a little. Would you like that?"

"Certainly, my Lady," Anomen nodded with a smile. "You know how much I appreciate your company, Leah."

"Good, that is good... I feel the same way. Anomen?" she asked quietly, tugging on the squire's arm and urging him to step closer. "Please... kiss me..."

"My... Lady?" Anomen blinked, but complied immediately. Leah forced herself to respond with eagerness to his tentative kisses, but she could not conjure any of that fire or passion she felt while kissing Viconia. _Like it... like him! Damn it, what is wrong with me? Why can't I force myself to like him? Perhaps I just need to try harder..._ she pulled Anomen closer, feeling his arms wrapping around her back, but the additional contact was not helping, not the way it had done with Viconia.

Suddenly, the entire charade was interrupted by a nervous cough, forcing the two 'lovers' to part, Anomen glaring angrily at a timid looking young man, standing nearby and nervously rumpling his hat in his hands. "What? What do you want?" the squire barked at the young man, not sounding particularly chivalrous. "I hope you have a good reason for interrupting!"

"I, uh... you are Anomen Delryn, son of Cor, yes?" the young man managed.

"Yes, I am," Anomen said angrily, releasing Leah from his embrace. "Why would a useless lout like you care who I am?"

"Umm, actually... my name is Terl," the other man explained. "I'm a messenger hired by your father. He requests your immediate presence at the estate."

"That drunkard can request whatever he wants, I care little for it," Anomen scoffed.

"Well... perhaps you might change your tone after I tell you the dire news I was told to deliver," Terl said, suddenly looking less intimidated by Anomen's ranting. "Your sister is dead. Most foully murdered, by all accounts..."


	28. Chapter 28

"Blast, can't these horses go any faster?" Anomen exclaimed furiously, trying to spur his steed on, but it responded with a stubborn neigh, refusing to pick up the pace.

"The horses are tired, and they need rest," Jaheira spoke sternly, glaring daggers at the young squire's back. "I understand your urgency, but to continue to push on would be cruelty to these wonderful animals, and I will not allow it."

"So... time for a break?" Leah asked, ignoring Anomen's disapproving stare.

"Yes, it most definitely is," Jaheira nodded. "There is a brook nearby where we can water the horses and rest for a couple of hours. We are all exhausted after that unexpected midnight departure," she added a little sourly.

"I will not waste hours-..." Anomen began to complain, but Leah silenced him with an imperious wave of her hand.

"In any case we are stopping at Nalia's keep for the night, Anomen. Whether we are there a few hours later is hardly of any consequence, because either way we will depart again early on the next morning," the young priestess stated, the Helmite eventually grudgingly accepting.

The group ground to a halt at the first suitable clearing where they would be able to simply lay back for a little bit and rest their aching limbs and sore backsides after a very prolonged stint of riding at a strong pace. As Minsc, Jaheira and Anomen led the horses towards a nearby brook, the others simply placed their respective blankets on the grass and splayed down upon them without removing their armor, desperately needing this moment of rest, Anomen's zealous drive to return to Athkatla as quickly as possible having pushed them all past their comfort zone.

As Leah leaned back on her blanket, looking up at the fluffy clouds in the bright blue summer sky, she could not help but to think back on their Trademeet adventures, despite of how tired and sleepy she was feeling at the moment. Following the shocking news about Anomen's sister, Leah had rounded up her friends and told them to return to Vyatri's Inn and change into their traveling gear, nobody daring to grumble or complain too much in the face of these tragic developments, even Viconia leaving without making any scathing comments. Fortunately, Leah had not lost her head completely, making sure that she collected the heavy pouch from Lord Coprith's strongbox before leaving, the bag containing five thousand gold and pushing the savings in Imoen Rescue Fund to twenty thousand and past the target amount set by the Shadow Thieves.

Those were the good news that made Leah feel positive and almost optimistic about their prospects, and she tried her hardest not to think of all the hurdles that still stood in their way. She had to exert even more effort to push aside all those irritating matters of the heart that kept crawling back into her thoughts, but she was never particularly successful at evading these thoughts. Leah had tried to avoid interacting with Viconia as much as she could, but she was unable to stop herself from glancing at the Drow now and then. However, Viconia appeared to be avoiding Leah's stare just as much, leading the young Sorlyn to assume that the Drow was very upset with her, perhaps having witnessed the kisses that she had foolishly shared with Anomen... and for some reason, the idea of Viconia being angry and upset with her felt unbearable, cutting her to the very bone.

"Leah?" she was startled back to reality by the sound of Jaheira's voice, the druidess sounding strangely tense for some reason. "Please, come over here. We... might have a situation developing."

Leah quickly got up from the blanket... and froze, seeing Jaheira, Minsc and Anomen surrounded by a group of five well armed strangers, keeping particularly close to Jaheira and pointing various sharp and spiky objects in the general direction of the druidess. "Nobody panic or do anything rash," Jaheira spoke calmly, ignoring the fact that she was being threatened by this group of seasoned looking adventurers. "These people simply wish to... talk with us. Reviane," she pointed at a pretty but stern looking elven warrior in a well-crafted full plate next to her, "is an old friend of mine."

"Do not call me that, not after what you've done," the elf exclaimed heatedly. "It pains me to say this, but a traitor's death is what you deserve!"

"You know, I was wondering who they would send after me... and I never expected it to be you, Reviane. Someone amongst the Masters has a wicked sense of humor," Jaheira smirked. "But the heart of the matter is that you have been misinformed about what happened at the Harper Hold. I would not have been party to anything like that if I had any alternatives, but Galvarey's actions left me with no choice!"

"I know not of what you speak, Jaheira," Reviane glared at the half-elf but Leah noticed that she had done so after a thoughtful pause. "Explain yourself!"

"It was Galvarey," Jaheira sighed deeply. "He had me bring my companion there on the pretense of determining the danger she posed, but he had no intention of allowing Leah to leave once we arrived there."

"The only information I have is that there was an attack on the Harper Hold, and that Galvarey along with four others are dead," Reviane shrugged, looking unconvinced. "Regardless of my personal opinion of the man, he had many friends in the organization, powerful friends... as you can imagine, his death has sent waves through the ranks and…"

"Galvarey was a fool, bent on advancing only his own station!" Jaheira snapped. "His intent was to use Leah as a trophy, hoping to gain enough influence to become a Herald!"

"It is true," Viconia spoke up, sitting down on her blanket and looking as if the entire matter did not concern her in the slightest. "The foolish _jaluk_ boasted about his delusions of grandeur before forcing us to protect ourselves. But feel free to disregard the truth at your own peril."

"I'm not sure, Jaheira... this seems far-fetched," Reviane shrugged, clearly not thinking much about Viconia's testimony. "Your hatred for Galvarey is well documented." The Harper leader's eyes fell upon Leah. "And why should this woman command such value?"

"Wait... have they not even told you who she is?" Jaheira blinked, looking stunned. "All the Masters surely know who my charge is... but if they have not informed you..."

"Feel free to tell her, Jaheira, I don't think keeping secrets at this point could help our cause," Leah said quietly, giving the druidess a permissive nod of the head.

"I agree," Jaheira spoke, looking Reviane straight in the eyes. "Do you still remember Gorion and the story behind his retirement from active service?"

"Of course," Reviane nodded quickly. "I will never forget Gorion. He retired to Candlekeep together with his charge... one of the Children. Always thought that the plan would get him killed... in the end, I wish I hadn't been right about it." Leah felt warmth hitting her cheeks and angry throbbing rising in her temples at the elven Harper's words. "We all mourned his passing... but I understand that his charge was not to blame for it. I heard that he thought the world of her, so she must have been brought up to become a decent person."

"Why thank you for the nice compliment," Leah remarked, secretly enjoying the open-mouthed look of shock on Reviane's face as the elf stared at her, utterly speechless.

"Yes, Reviane... you heard it correctly, Leah is of interest because she is Gorion's charge," Jaheira added quietly. "Khalid and I assumed the role of her guardians with the approval of the Master Harpers, and after Khalid's death I have tried to continue in that role... they would know perfectly well who my traveling companion was and why she would be of such an interest to Galvarey. Perhaps you should ask yourself why nobody sought it as necessary to mention it to you."

"Five Harpers are dead, Jaheira... you know what Harper justice demands me to do," Reviane said sternly. "You do not even deny slaughtering them... the course of action seems clear enough, regardless of who your companion is..."

"You will do as you must, Reviane," Jaheira replied, crossing her arms on her chest. "I have told you my circumstance, there is little more for me to say."

"We will defend ourselves, but we would prefer not having to do so," Leah added, hoping to convince Reviane, sensing that the woman was not completely beyond reason. "I wish Galvarey would have given us options other than forcing us to resort to violence. He planned to lock me away with the Imprisonment spell, a most cruel method that I could never submit to. I had done nothing wrong!" _Also, it would be nice if we wouldn't have to explain the deaths of ten Harpers... getting away with five corpses is proving hard enough._

"I agree with every word Leah says," Jaheira said with determination, taking her place at Leah's side but keeping her weapon sheeted. "The incident at the Harper Hold was a huge mistake, and I will not be party to making another by fighting you."

"Damn it..." Reviane swore, looking indecisive for a moment before lowering her weapon. "Our shared past would never allow me to dismiss your words easily, Jaheira, you know that. As for your companion..." her stare fell on Leah, but much to the Sorlyn's relief, there was little hostility in the elf's eyes. "We have followed in your footsteps through the Umar Hills and onto Trademeet, and everywhere people recalled your name and celebrated you as a hero. I can't easily ignore that and remain standing in good conscience. If anything... the evidence at the Harper Hold must be reexamined."

"Thank you, Reviane," Jaheira spoke softly, looking grateful.

"Don't thank me too soon, Jaheira," Reviane shook her head warningly. "Those that I must report to may yet disagree with my conclusions. Don't think yourself quite safe just yet."

"I am not certain I can remember a time when I could count myself safe," Jaheira chuckled bitterly. "But thank you for the warning, and… and may we meet again in better times."

"I will drink to that tonight," Reviane nodded before turning around and leading her Harper fellows away, disappearing into the sparse woods that surrounded the clearing, leaving the group of seven looking mildly surprised that for once diplomacy had gained the upper hand over a more violent approach.

* * *

Late in the evening, when the D'Arnise Keep was enveloped by the shroud of darkness and most of her companions were already soundly sleeping in their rooms, Leah found herself wide awake, plagued by doubts and uncertainty as she stared at the stacks of gold coins piled on the table in front of her. Unable to come to a decision on her own, she rose from the chair and frowned with frustration before draping a cloak around her shoulders and leaving the room, stepping out in the torch-lit hallway, making her way down the corridor towards Jaheira's room.

Leah pressed her ear against the doors, trying to overhear any sounds that would suggest whether Jaheira was still up and awake. The young priestess thought she could hear light shuffling inside the room, and there appeared to be a sliver of light shining through the gap under the doors, meaning that Jaheira had to still be awake, so Leah placed her hand on the door handle and stepped right through, catching the druidess just as she had finished undressing, preparing to turn in. "I thought that Gorion would have at least taught you to knock before entering," Jaheira smirked, completely unperturbed about her nudity, unlike the mortified Leah. The half-elf simply grabbed her sleeping tunic and tossed it over her head unceremoniously, covering herself and saving Leah's blushes.

"Uh, yes, I... I wanted to ask you something..." Leah muttered, struggling to refocus, eventually managing to pull herself together. "Oh yes, I need an advice... or well, help in making a decision, really..."

"What sort of decision?" Jaheira asked, sitting down on the bed and patting the other side of the mattress, inviting Leah to sit with her, an offer that the girl responded to without thinking.

"Well... with those valuable gems that Busya gave us, we currently stand at twenty thousand, which is even a little in excess of what the thieves are asking from us," Leah explained. "I can't decide... I want to get to Imoen as quickly as possible, so it's tearing at me that I'm even considering not giving this money to the thieves straight away, but... are we really ready to go just yet? We all have at least a few pieces of equipment that is well below par and needs upgrading... what if we reach this Spellhold only to discover that we are completely unprepared to help Imoen?"

"That is my concern as well, so I am glad that you are thinking of these issues," Jaheira nodded approvingly. "Paying off the Shadow Thieves would leave us with only three thousand to operate with. That is nowhere near enough to satisfy all our equipment needs, which is why I would advise you to leave the majority of our gold back here at the keep. I know that it must be a difficult decision to make..."

"Hell, yes," Leah chuckled bitterly, swatting at the mattress in frustration. "But ultimately... this isn't about taking the decision that makes me feel good about myself. This is about taking the **right** decision, and they are not always one and the same."

Jaheira gave her an odd, thoughtful look that almost seemed to speak of admiration. "You would not believe how proud I feel hearing you speak such words, Leah," the druidess said softly. "When did you grow up to become so wise?"

"Heh, well, you did spend nearly a year shouting at me for all my dumb ideas, so I'm guessing some slivers of wisdom must have penetrated even my thick skull," Leah laughed. "Very well... then it is decided. I will take five thousand and the bag of jewels to turn into gold in Athkatla, and we'll see what we can afford to buy with those funds. The rest of the gold will go back into the keep's strongbox."

"A sound decision," Jaheira smiled at her. "You will not regret it."

"I hope not," Leah grinned back at the druidess before her face clouded a little. "Listen... about what happened earlier today... if you want to talk about it..."

"I... yes, I was just thinking about Reviane before you entered," Jaheira confessed. "The usual doubts and self-flagellation..."

"Doubts about what?" Leah shrugged. "We haven't done anything wrong, we both know that. We were in the right to act as we did."

"Of course, but... a part of me keeps almost wishing that we had been in the wrong," Jaheira replied quietly. "It would have made things much simpler. I am simply... trying to see things from their point of view, and… well, it probably does not look good. Especially with the prejudice against the Children... I have done you no favors at all by dragging you into this whole mess. At least I do not have to worry about you turning into another Sarevok and proving Galvarey right."

"Oh, I don't know... lately I've been thinking more and more about ordering a customized spiky armor and helmet that will make my eyes glow evil red," Leah chuckled, ducking to avoid Jaheira's playful swipe.

"This is no laughing matter, Leah," the druidess warned, looking a little frustrated.

"I know, I know... and I'm sorry," the young priestess quickly apologized. "But yes, you should know that you will always be able to depend on me. Do not ever doubt my resolve to keep my sire's evil influence at bay."

"I am not doubting your resolve, Leah. I am doubting myself," Jaheira sighed with sadness, shaking her head. "I do not wish to think of myself as a traitor, but what am I then if I must hide from my brethren?"

"There is no middle ground in this, is there?" Leah asked, Jaheira nodding swiftly. "That must be doubly frustrating for a protector of Balance such as yourself."

"Am I truly that easy to read?" Jaheira asked honestly, looking a little surprised. "No matter... you simply know me well enough to understand the reason for my... frustrations. I am heading for an extreme at either end, and it disturbs me greatly. With you at least the choice is mine... it is, isn't it?"

"Do you really need to ask me that, Jaheira?" Leah replied quietly. "The least I can do is to offer you the same as you offer me."

Leah was surprised when Jaheira's answer was to simply pull her closer and hug her fiercely, Leah wrapping her arms around Jaheira's back and resting her head on the half-elf's chest, allowing the druidess to cradle her gently. "Thank you, Leah," she whispered softly. "Thank you for being my pillar of strength."

"You do the same for me, Jaheira," Leah smiled, finally parting from the comfortable embrace. "I guess that makes us a fine pair, doesn't it?"

"It does at that," Jaheira agreed with a smile of her own, after which a brief silent pause set in before the druidess spoke up again. "So, we depart in the morning... I imagine that you will want to take Valygar with us and explore the Planar Sphere back in Athkatla."

"Well, we did promise to help him, and there could be profit for us to make," Leah shrugged. "After all, we still need the coin... but even so, Anomen's matter takes precedence over everything."

"Understandable," Jaheira nodded. "I... worry about him, you know?" Leah gave her friend a questioning glance. "His emotional state is of great concern to me. The death of his sister might unbalance him terribly, and another disappointment afterwards... which I feel is inevitable, could tip him over the edge."

"I'm not really sure what you're referring to, but I think you're exaggerating the situation a little bit," Leah replied, sounding a little defensive. "Anomen can be overly emotional, but he's simply a young man who means well and sometimes tries too hard."

"Just be very careful in how you handle these situations with him," Jaheira warned the young priestess. "I do not want to see him becoming a liability… or even a danger to this group, Silvanus forbid it."

"Now I know you're overreacting," Leah laughed lightly, patting Jaheira's hand. "Perhaps we should both get in a few hours of sleep instead."

"Perhaps we should, yes," Jaheira agreed amicably. "Are we taking both Aerie and Nalia with us to Athkatla?"

"No, I don't have two licenses to cover them both, so I can only take one of them," Leah replied, getting up from the bed and straightening out the folds in her sleeping tunic. "I'm thinking Aerie. Nalia will be of more use back at the keep, running things here and restoring the normal order of operations in her lands."

"Sound thinking," Jaheira nodded, slipping under the blankets and idly ruffling her pillow. "Good night, Leah."

"Good night," the young Sorlyn replied, stepping out of Jaheira's room and closing the doors, finding herself once more in the candlelit hallway. She turned around to walk back to her own room and then froze having noticed someone else in the corridor. Viconia was standing on the doorstep of her room, pitcher of water in her hand, as she was about to enter. "Viconia!" Leah called out quietly, acting purely on instinct, not even sure what she wanted to say to the Drow. "I... uh, could we... could we speak for a moment?"

"I will speak to you only if you are ready to admit what you truly want, and only if you stop pretending about who you are," Viconia said tonelessly, not even turning her head to face Leah. She was wearing her beautiful nearly transparent silk nightshift that fed Leah's already overactive imagination and made the young human feel as if she should admit to everything that Viconia challenged her to confess... and yet, something was still there, stopping her.

"Can't we just... talk about something else instead?" Leah asked pleadingly. "Perhaps you could tell me more about the Underdark, or..."

"I don't think so, Leah," Viconia snorted, stepping into her room without having looked at Leah even once. "Your weakness and misplaced shame disappoint me greatly. Until you have overcome it... we have nothing to speak of."

Leah could only watch on in dismay as the door shut in her face.

* * *

"Right..." Leah commented as the gates of Athkatla appeared in the distance, the early afternoon sun high in the sky and burning their shoulders during the swift ride from the D'Arnise Keep back to the capital of Amn. "Our first task will be to find stables for these fine horses," she spoke, reaching down and affectionately patting her gray mare, one of the new additions to Nalia's stables, bringing the total amount of horses up to six.

"Minsc and I will take care of it," Jaheira replied quickly. She had been riding together with Viconia, the Drow still uncomfortable to be all by herself atop a horse, and Leah had watched them conversing quietly several times along the way, but she was completely in the dark as to the nature of their conversations.

"I will help," Valygar quickly offered. Ever since setting out from the keep, the dark-skinned ranger appeared rejuvenated by the news that they were finally ready to look into the matters of his accursed ancestry.

"Thank you, Valygar," Leah graced him with a smile before continuing with her speech. "Afterwards, you should head to the Copper Coronet and lay low. Feel free to scout the surroundings of the sphere and look for potential entrances... but stay clear of any potential Cowled Wizard agents. And drop my name to the proprietors of the Coronet, they will be much more helpful once they know that you're with me."

"Understood," Valygar, a man of few words, nodded in acknowledgment. "Appreciate it, Leah."

"Think nothing of it, my friend," Leah grinned at the ranger before shooting a quick glance at Viconia who still steadfastly ignored her. "Viconia, you better go with Valygar to the Copper Coronet. I don't want to get you into trouble by dragging you through the guard-filled Government District."

"As you desire," the Drow responded impassively.

"Please ask around for Yoshimo and Edwin at the Copper Coronet," Leah added, her heart sinking at Viconia's coldness, though she just about managed not to show it. "I would like their assistance when we enter the Planar Sphere."

"Will that be all?" Viconia asked, almost mockingly.

"Yes, thank you," Leah replied, refusing to show her disappointment. "The rest of us will continue on our way to the Delryn Estate."

"Hopefully with more urgency than thus far," Anomen added bitterly. He also appeared to be feeling a little upset with Leah, probably because she was not placing his demands above everything else. Curiously enough, Leah thought that his attitude was childish, while Viconia's cold dismissal was cutting her deep to the bone. _I... I guess it's just another proof of her words being true... I don't know how, but I have fallen for her... hard. I want to touch her, kiss her, taste her... find out every little thing about her... I want to be claimed by her... I want her to teach me everything she knows about pleasures of the flesh... there... that wasn't so hard to admit, was it? Why exactly am I fighting it so much... denying it all to myself, especially now that I know that Viconia wants me, too?_

"Leah? Leah, are you listening to me?" she snapped out of her daydreaming at the sound of Aerie's voice, blushing despite herself as she faced the curious looking avariel.

"Uh... yes, Aerie?" she asked, trying to sound confident, but not managing to summon much authority.

"I was asking if you think that I might take some time off to visit my uncle," Aerie spoke, looking hopeful. "I'm sure Quayle is wondering what I have been doing... I can't be sure he has received any of my letters..."

"I don't see why you couldn't visit your uncle, it's not like we're going to be busy all the time," Leah smiled at the young elf. "Though probably now that I have said that..."


	29. Chapter 29

The Delryn Estate had certainly seen better days, Leah could tell that from one casual glance at the once impressive building. Large pieces of plaster had fallen off, scarring the exterior of the estate, making it stick out like a sore thumb amongst the neighboring, impeccably maintained noble residences. As the group of five approached, Leah could see that the collapsing plaster was not the only problem plaguing the estate, the shutters on some of the windows were barely hanging in their hinges, several floorboards on the porch broken and making it treacherous to walk, and one corner of the estate featured a rather colorful drawing of what was supposedly the image of Lord Cor sexually assaulted by a donkey, likely a creation by one of his many former business partners.

The single door guard met Anomen with a knowing smirk, informing the young Helmite that Lord Cor was in the kitchen, deep in his cups, apparently in a very foul mood and growing increasingly angry with Anomen. The squire merely steeled himself for the inevitable venting of bile that would be aimed at him, taking a few deep breaths before entering, smiling and appearing a great deal more resolute after Leah had patted him on the shoulder comfortingly, offering a few simple words of encouragement.

The interior of the estate took Leah by surprise. It had been a beautiful house once, and in some ways it still was, but a pervasive feeling of unease and wrongness that was difficult to explain now filled it. It almost appeared as if the house was uninhabited, the oppressive silence feeling disturbing and unnatural, Leah rubbing her brow in puzzlement when she saw no guards or estate staff present. However, the rooms were not in a disarray like the exterior of the estate, it appeared as if someone had thoroughly cleaned everything a day or two ago. _Maybe he called in some people to clean the place... get rid of the bloodstains..._ Leah gulped at that grim thought, quickly catching up with Anomen as he prepared to step into the kitchen and face the music.

"So, the prodigal son returns," Lord Cor spoke mockingly as they all entered the kitchen. Leah had very little sympathy for the man from Anomen's stories, so she expected herself to deeply dislike the man once she had actually met him, but the stark reality was even worse than she had imagined. The booze slurred voice of the man dripped with poison, and his appearance was even less appealing, sitting hunched at the kitchen table, bottle in one hand, and empty glass in the other. "Heir to his mother's foolishness as always. How far have you roamed, son, running away from me?" Cor continued, uttering the insults that he had probably spent the past few days coming up with in the company of the bottle.

"Speak not of my mother, drunkard," Anomen snapped back, pleasantly surprising Leah. "You were never worthy of being her husband."

"Yet I was, and your father as well. Never forget that, boy!" Cor glared angrily at his son, irritated at the backtalk. "Your mother would still be alive if you children weren't such a handful."

"Shut your mouth, father. We've had this conversation before and I've not the patience to listen to it again," Anomen refused to back down, Leah's respect for his newly discovered backbone growing with each moment.

"You will listen to whatever I choose to tell you, Anomen!" Cor yelled, getting up from his seat, not looking particularly steady, making Leah suspect that this was not the first bottle of wine he had consumed today. Truly, it was hard to see any resemblance between Cor and Anomen; fortunately the young Helmite had inherited hardly any of his father's physical features, though Leah had to admit to herself that Cor's appearance might have been eroded by his overindulgence in spirits. "Respect your father, knightling," Lord Cor barked. "I am still the man of this family and you will obey me!"

"Yes, father... I lost my temper and I apologize," Anomen lowered his voice at the rebuke, Leah wincing at how easily Cor still managed to break his son's backbone and crush his fighting spirit.

"It took you long enough to get here," Cor said, not looking impressed by Anomen's apology. "It wouldn't hurt you to come and see your father now and again."

"Father, where is Moira, where is my sister?" Anomen ignored the reprimand and asked directly. "What happened to her?"

"Idiot boy!" Cor's wild eyes lit with fire that suggested to Leah that the man was no longer all there. "She's dead! Murdered by the Calishite fiends!"

"How did this happen?" Anomen asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.

"How do you think?" Cor retorted mockingly while Leah battled with the ever growing desire to just walk up to this pathetic man, snatch the bottle from his shaking hand and smash it against his skull. "It was Saerk the Calishite. It was not enough for him to take my business, he had to take my Moira too."

"But why would he kill her?" Anomen wondered, echoing Leah's thoughts. "She had nothing to do with your enmity."

"Do you understand nothing?" Lord Cor shouted. "He killed her because he could! For years I embarrassed him amongst the merchants, undercut his prices and stole his customers. When my business failed he had the monopoly on the Calishite shipping routes. He would not be happy until I had nothing. By the end, Moira was all that I had, and now he's taken her too."

"But… where were the guards?" Anomen asked, looking dismayed. "Why was she not protected?"

"Most of the guards left months ago, I had no money to pay them with," Cor admitted sourly, tightly clutching the empty bottle. "Soon I will lose my house as well. Saerk has taken all of it... all of your mother's and sister's things..."

"He didn't take it, father. **You** lost it!" the young Helmite responded passionately, the reality of the grim situation at the Delryn Estate apparently a shocking discovery to him. _Moira must have been lying to him in her letters about how things really stood... she did not want her brother to worry... that poor, noble soul. I was so looking forward to meeting her..._

"I lost it because you abandoned your family," Cor struck back, Anomen visibly shuddering at the verbal blow. "If you hadn't run away, Moira would still be alive! You should have been here to protect her! To save her from the brigands!"

"I'm sorry, I... I did not know..." Anomen stammered while Leah was left glaring daggers at Lord Cor, the old drunkard paying no attention to anyone else but his son. _That bastard, he really knows how to twist the knife, doesn't he? Poor Anomen... Cor has completely ruined his life, and he still continues to do so. Why couldn't those brigands have killed him instead?_

"You should have been here, Anomen," Cor repeated meaningfully. "Never forget that. And while it is not too late to save her, your work is not finished, Anomen."

"What can be done?" Anomen exclaimed ruefully. "Moira is dead... my sweet sister is gone."

"She can be avenged, Anomen," his father spoke, letting go of the empty bottle and clenching his fist emphatically. "You must kill Saerk and his son. It is the only way that Moira's spirit can be at rest. As for your friends, they would do well to help you, for Saerk the Calishite is a very wealthy man and his gold shall be their reward."

 _Yes, well, I don't think so._ Leah shook her head, deep in thoughts. _We might be in dire need of coin, but I'm not going to simply break into someone's Athkatla residence, slaughter everyone and loot all the valuables. I can't imagine why this pathetic old codger thinks that Anomen would go along with this plan of his..._

"I must see Moira's remains first, father," Anomen replied with heavy voice. "It will take but a moment."

"Go then," Cor nodded. "She was cleansed on the pyre and her ashes are kept in an urn by the pool. It was the place that Moira loved most of all."

"Leah, my Lady... please, come with me to Moira's urn," Anomen turned to her, looking very indecisive, much to Leah's surprise. "I would speak with you." Leah nodded and allowed Anomen to lead her out of the kitchen and towards the far corner of the large living room, where Moira's ashes rested. A bouquet of slightly wilting lilies was resting on top of the shrine, Moira's name having been carved into the marble.

"I am well worried by what has gone on in this place," the young Helmite picked up the conversation as they stood at the shrine side by side, Jaheira, Minsc and Aerie keeping a respectful distance. "Though the choice seems clear and right, I am hesitant to take it."

"I'm glad you think so as well, Anomen," Leah smiled at him supportively. "We should find out who was responsible for-..."

"Surely if Saerk killed my sister I must avenge her murder," Anomen interrupted her, as if he had not been listening to a word of what she was saying. "Yet killing for the purpose of revenge is murder by the tenets of the Order. I know not what I should do," he added, looking at her, uncertainty and expectation in his tender brown eyes.

"You... can't honestly expect me to endorse this idea of killing Saerk and his son?" Leah blinked; slightly stunned that Anomen would even ask such a thing. "We don't actually know that he's behind this murder! All you are going by is your father's word... what if you end up killing innocents?"

"There is truth to your words, Leah, but... father would not lie... not about this," Anomen shook his head resolutely. "Who else would wish to hurt him as much as Saerk? We grew up with the name of this Calishite as an epitome of all that is cruel and evil, and for a good reason, my Lady. Saerk is a horrible, corrupt man who very likely is behind this plot!"

"You did say **if** Saerk has killed her... do you really want to gamble on this possibility?" Leah challenged him heatedly, hands placed on her hips. "There are plenty of people who might have wished harm to your family, not only Saerk. Your father is indebted to many... perhaps it was someone else's doing, and not of this Calishite merchant!"

"My Lady, you do not understand..." Anomen pleaded passionately. "I am honor-bound to find my sister's killer and take their life!"

"And I would help you in that endeavor, but I want to be certain that the one who dies by your hand truly is the murderer," Leah sighed. "If it is Saerk, fine, he shall die. But right now, we can't be sure of whether he is the one to blame!"

"I... perhaps you are right, my Lady," Anomen's shoulders finally sagged as he admitted defeat. "What do you propose that we do?"

"There must be someone in charge of this murder case, someone who has been investigating," Leah mused. "Perhaps we should speak with someone at the Council of Six building, like the Chief Inspector or that local magistrate."

"That is a good idea, my Lady," Anomen agreed. "We shall take the matter before Magistrate Bylanna Lanulin. She is a good and honorable woman, just and fair in her judgment. But once we have learned who has committed this vile crime... if the reach of the law will prove insufficient, then I will have to deal with Saerk personally."

"And if we obtain the proof that he is indeed guilty, then we will all gladly help you to bring him to justice," Leah promised, behind them the others nodding without a moment's thought.

Predictably, Lord Cor reacted very poorly towards Anomen's refusal to carry out his wishes, the man almost popping a vein in anger as he shouted obscenities at his son, barely stopping short of disowning the young squire after Anomen had sworn a promise that Moira's murderer would be punished, lawfully or not. Following that heated exchange between father and son, everyone seemed to be glad to finally get out of the Delryn Estate, the short walk to the Council of Six building spent in silence, everyone deep in their thoughts and feeling a little embarrassed at being exposed to something as deeply personal as Anomen's poisonous relationship with his father.

The queue to meet Bylanna Lanulin was a fairly short one and after a quarter of an hour worth of waiting, they were finally admitted in to see the magistrate. As Leah led her group into Lady Bylanna's office, she mentally remarked to herself that the Cowled Wizard Tolgerias was absent from the premises, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. _Maybe he's just on a lunch break, just because he's not here doesn't mean that he's learned about Valygar being back in Athkatla,_ Leah reassured herself.

"Good business, my friends," Bylanna stood from her seat, welcoming them inside with a warm smile. Cor Delryn had insisted that the magistrate was a pawn of Saerk, deep into his pockets, but to Leah the woman appeared as genuine as a bureaucrat could ever hope to appear. "Is there aught I can help you with?" she asked, looking from Leah to Anomen and back again.

"Yes, honorable magistrate," Anomen bowed his head. "I am seeking information on the murder of my sister, Moira Delryn."

"Ah... you must be the son of Lord Cor… Anomen, is it?" Bylanna asked, looking sympathetic. "I am afraid that there is very little that I can tell you regarding your sister's death."

"What do you mean?" Anomen frowned. "Surely you have found evidence to link Saerk to her murder? The man will be brought before the courts to meet justice, will he not?"

"Unfortunately, currently there is not enough evidence to connect Saerk Farrahd with the murder," the magistrate shrugged apologetically. "As I understand, the only other person in your father's estate was killed as well."

"Yes, my father... cannot afford additional guards and servants," Anomen winced as he spoke. "Still... how is it possible that you have learned almost nothing? Surely Saerk has to be your main suspect!"

"Certainly, we are aware of your family's feud with the merchant, but a motive alone is not enough without witnesses or evidence," Bylanna's voice grew a little sharper and less sympathetic, the women clearly not liking the implications that she was not doing her work properly, and Leah could understand her well enough.

"I cannot accept this," the young Helmite shook his head, refusing to accept the magistrate's dismissal. "There has to be something that can be done! Perhaps you are simply not interested in looking hard enough for this evidence?"

"That is enough!" Bylanna exclaimed angrily, rising from her seat and pointing to the doors. "You cannot barge in here and make slanderous accusations like that! I could have you dragged before the courts for questioning my integrity... and I suggest that you change your tone, Anomen Delryn, if you do not want that to happen."

"I'm starting to see that my father was right after all," Anomen snarled angrily. "You truly are a pawn of Saerk, aren't you? Well, it is becoming clear to me that I will find no justice in these walls, only corruption... coming here was a mistake." With these words he pushed past those standing behind him and charged out of Bylanna's office before anyone could stop him or say anything.

"Anomen! Anomen, damn it!" Leah exclaimed as she tried to catch up to the squire but he had already disappeared in the crowd of visitors. "Anomen, come back!" she shouted one more time, to no effect, forced to return to Bylanna's office and apologize for the Helmite's behavior.

"His reaction is understandable, of course," the magistrate said more kindly, sitting down again. "But I wish that he would not have barged out of here like that because I had something important to tell him. The investigation in the death of Moira Delryn is still ongoing. It is actually carried out by a special representative of the Order of the Radiant Heart, a man whose specialty is to ferret out dark secrets and solve complicated crimes. I would have recommended Anomen to speak with this man and see whether he has learned any new facts. If anyone can untangle this knot of riddles, it is Sir Keldorn Firecam."

"Sir Keldorn Firecam, hmm? Sounds like a paladin to me," Leah remarked, earning a quick nod from Bylanna. "And where could we find this Sir Keldorn?" _It's probably pointless to chase after Anomen... he has surely gone to confront Saerk, and we don't even know where this Calishite lives. And even if we did, Anomen would likely reach his estate before we do... oh Milil, please don't let him do anything stupid! I... I do... like him, despite all his serious flaws... and taking on the entire household of this merchant... I really hope he doesn't get seriously hurt._

"I understand that Sir Keldorn spends most of his time at the Order headquarters in the Temple District," Bylanna advised. "If for some reason he is not there, someone will surely give you directions on where to find him."

With no better alternatives at her disposal, Leah dragged her group to the Temple District straight away, mostly staying quiet as she walked, her thoughts with Anomen, praying that the young man's quest for vengeance wouldn't get him killed. _I wonder if I should have said something else... been more supportive... but what more could I have done, really?_

"Nothing," Jaheira spoke suddenly, startling her. "There was nothing you could have done, Leah, trust me," the druidess added with a smile. "I know that faraway look in your eyes. You always have that when you are questioning yourself."

"That's all we seem to be doing as of late, isn't it?" Leah chuckled bitterly. "I just... don't know what to think. I can't condemn Anomen... Imoen is not even my sister by blood, but if she had been in Moira's place... I might have reacted even worse than he did."

"I'm... really worried about Anomen," Aerie also spoke up. "Perhaps... perhaps we should look for him after we have finished talking with Sir Firecam? Someone in the Order might know where this merchant lives..."

"If this paladin Keldorn is investigating the murder, he would have already spoken to Saerk," Jaheira shrugged. "That is if he is not completely useless. In my experience, these knights are too restricted by their own moral code to be effective."

"Minsc is simply glad that he has never had to decide between justice and valor," the large ranger added thoughtfully as he brought up the rear of the group. "Of course, if Minsc ever had to face such a conundrum, Boo would always be there to advise him," he quickly added after the hamster had produced several indignant squeaks. "With Minsc's sharp sword and Boo's pointy teeth, we will conquer any dilemma... uh, Boo, what sort of an evil creature is dilemma anyhow?"

"It is a most frightening beast, as Boo will surely attest," Leah laughed, Minsc's simplistic wisdom never failing to improve her mood. And the boost to their spirits could not have arrived at a better time as they came upon the guildhouse of the paladin order, a grandiose building of royal proportions, dominating the entire Temple District. The path up to the entrance was morosely observed by two massive stone statues, depictions of the Radiant Heart knights, and Leah could not help but to be a little intimidated as she passed by these silent guards.

Inside, Leah and her group were welcomed by a smiling young lady in a shining plate armor, introducing herself as squire Elotta, kindly inquiring about their business with the Order. Upon hearing Leah's explanation that Magistrate Bylanna had directed them to Sir Firecam, the young lady gave a slightly awkward smile and immediately proceeded to lead them towards the Inquisitor's Office. The halls of the guildhouse were incredibly opulent and gaudily decorated, the amassed wealth on display making Leah scratch her head with mild disbelief. The friendly squire continued to lead them through the opulent halls steeped in red velvet and golden incrustations, but after a bit of walking the rooms gradually became more and more simple, until they ended walking down a dingy, narrow corridor with a single door which had once been painted green, but now most of the paint had peeled off, showing brown spots underneath.

"This is where I leave you," squire Elotta said, bowing lightly. "Sir Keldorn is in his office. Final word of warning, though," she whispered, leaning a little closer to Leah. "He is not overly fond of visitors. Try not to test his patience."

"That's why we left our more disagreeable companions back at the inn," the young Sorlyn grinned, opening the doors and preparing to utilize all her charm to sway the reclusive paladin... only to end up coughing as her nostrils were immediately assaulted by the escaping clouds of acrid tobacco smoke, the entire room almost as if covered in fog and making Leah wonder whether they should raise a fire alert.

"Don't just stand there and let all the good smoke out, step right in if you've come this far," a commanding voice sounded from somewhere inside the room, Leah and her friends scampering to enter, squire Elotta quickly closing the doors behind them. "Ah, you have arrived. What took you so long?" the man sitting in a recliner at the far corner of the room spoke, getting up to meet them.

Leah had never seen a paladin like Sir Keldorn Firecam. His aging face certainly fit that of a veteran of many campaigns, marred by several more or less prominent scars. His short hair had gone almost completely gray, and was matched by equally gray stubble on his chin. His blue-gray eyes regarded them with an intense, scrutinizing stare, but to Leah they also felt warm and kind. Still, the smoking pipe in the corner of Sir Firecam's mouth did not quite match Leah's ideas of paladins, nor did his clothing, knee-length brown riding boots, slightly puffy breeches of matching color, a gray and white checkered woolen shirt and a similarly colored scarf loosely wrapped around his neck.

"Uh... Sir Keldorn Firecam?" Leah tried, once she had successfully tempered her surprise at the man's appearance.

"Just Keldorn, please," the elderly inquisitor smiled as he offered her his hand for a firm shake. "Unlike my more stuffy colleagues, I prefer to dispense with formalities. Come on in and make sure to feel like at home... Leah, is it?"

"I see you have heard of me," the young priestess remarked thoughtfully.

"It is my job to know such things," Keldorn shrugged evasively. "You are here because of the murder of Moira Delryn. Terrible business, that," he added with a sad shake of his head. "I blame myself for not seeing it coming and doing something to protect her."

"Why would you say that, was her life threatened before the murder?" Leah asked.

"Of course... she lived under the same roof as Lord Cor," Keldorn scowled darkly. "Regardless... I do not see young Anomen with you. Where is he?"

"Err... well..." Leah hesitated, not wanting to reveal Anomen's lapse of judgment to the paladins of the Order who might later use it to determine his worthiness to become a full time knight.

"Speak up, young lady," Keldorn urged her kindly. "I can't help you unless you tell me the whole truth."

"He ran off following our meeting with the magistrate," Jaheira spoke up in Leah's stead. "Anomen seemed frustrated with the courts not interested to take any action against Saerk. He might be looking to storm the merchant's estate as we speak."

"A Harper who speaks her mind plain and clear," Keldorn smirked at the half-elf. "A truly refreshing change from some of your fellows, Lady Jaheira."

"You are remarkably well informed, paladin Keldorn," Jaheira narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the aged inquisitor.

"Please, Sir Keldorn," Leah cut in, wringing her hands nervously. "We are all terribly worried about Anomen. Is there something we can do to stop him from doing something foolish?"

"Oh, I would not worry about young Anomen too much, Leah," Keldorn replied with a knowing grin. "I have three men watching Saerk's estate day and night... and Anomen's potential appearance is only one reason for their sober vigil. Be assured, at the sight of our dear squire's attempts to break into the estate, my men will be there to stop him."

"Pfew... thanks for telling us that, Sir Keldorn," Leah sighed with relief, feeling as if a large boulder had rolled off her chest. "I assume that your men are there to also watch Saerk and his family?"

"You would be assuming correctly, young lady," Keldorn said, inhaling smoke from his pipe and expelling a large puffy cloud that made Boo sneeze. "Perhaps now that you are here, you could help me reexamine the evidence and make some sense from this puzzling case. What do you say, Leah?"

"That sounds great, we'd love to see if we can help," Leah nodded gladly, feeling much better now that she no longer had to worry about Anomen getting into trouble.

"Excellent," Keldorn nodded, leading them over to the other side of the room, where the walls were covered with blackboards, all scribbled white with various notes about cases long since solved. There were heaps and heaps of boxes all over the floor, filled with various junk, probably evidence that no longer fit in the many bursting shelves throughout the chaotic and messy Inquisitor's Office. "Now where did I put it... ah, yes, there it is," the aged paladin noted, reaching down and retrieving a scrolled up parchment from one of the boxes. "Tell me what you think this is," he asked, having unrolled the parchment and shown its contents to Leah and her equally curious friends.

"Minsc thinks it looks like a hamster maze," the large ranger declared proudly. "Boo wants to know if he can run it."

"It… it looks like the layout of... a mansion?" Aerie suggested timidly. "Anomen's estate?"

"Well done, Lady Aerie," Keldorn smiled at the blushing avariel. "It's more than just that, however..."

"I see what you mean," Leah finally nodded. "Those silhouettes belong to Moira and the dead guard, am I right?"

"You are absolutely correct, young lady," their host replied. "I was able to reconstruct the scene based on the accounts of two witnesses, the Delryn house guard who welcomed you at the estate-..."

"How do you know he welcomed us?" Jaheira asked quickly. "Are you having the Delryn Estate watched as well?"

"Of course I have it watched," Keldorn replied as if it was supposed to be self-explanatory. "The man's account was collated with that of the city guardsman who was first at the scene to investigate. So the drawing you see should be more or less accurate."

"You did not get a look at the bodies yourself?" Jaheira asked.

"Sadly not," Keldorn shook his head. "Lord Cor arranged for them to be cremated on the next morning."

Leah blinked in surprise at that. "Umm... is that regular? It seems awfully rushed..."

"Most definitely irregular," Keldorn said sternly. "Lord Cor insisted that he had done so due to the insufferable heat of the summer, not wanting the bodies to become spoiled, but..."

"Ah, I see your game now, paladin," Jaheira smirked in understanding. "You are watching the Delryn Estate because Cor is also one of your suspects."

"A sharp mind accompanied by a sharp tongue can be a deadly combination," Keldorn chuckled, earning a little roll of the eyes from Jaheira. "Of course he is a suspect, I simply do not trust the man."

"I think he is worse than many monsters we have slain, but still..." Leah said feeling a little shocked at the implication. "To think that he might have murdered his own daughter? And for what?"

"Perhaps we should not speculate, Leah," Keldorn spoke, passing the parchment over to her. "Take a closer look at the position of the bodies and tell me what you think."

Leah peered at the parchment, her brow furrowed in concentration. "It is hard to tell much just from the position of the bodies," she finally admitted. "As far I can see, Moira's body was found in the middle of the kitchen... do you know how exactly did she die?"

"Both guards confirmed that she had succumbed from a massive head wound, inflicted by a heavy blunt object," Keldorn said. "I still have not found the murder weapon, much to my frustration. The city guard also noticed that there were remains of a smashed wine bottle next to the girl's body. The shards were not coated with blood, however, so she was not hit with the bottle."

"Perhaps it simply fell during the scuffle," Jaheira suggested.

"It is possible," Keldorn nodded. "Now, what about the dead guard?"

"Minsc is confused by the funny stick figures," the bald ranger admitted defeat quickly.

"Err... is that right, Sir Keldorn?" Leah asked, having thought for a while. "He died on the kitchen doorstep with his back turned to Moira's body? As if he was heading out of the kitchen?"

"Well spotted," Keldorn smiled. "You are a bright young lady, as I have long suspected. Yes, it appears he was hit in the back of the head as he was leaving the kitchen... cause of death was fractured skull from the impact of a blunt object."

"But that would mean..." Leah blinked in astonishment. "That the person who killed him was still in the kitchen when he was about to leave the room! Would he really turn his back on an assassin sent by Saerk?"

"Unless said assassin was cloaked and invisible," Jaheira opined.

"Yes, but assassins don't clobber people on the head with blunt objects like that!" Leah exclaimed, noticing how Keldorn was smiling and nodding as if to encourage her to go on. "He must have known the person in the kitchen! And that can only mean one thing!"

"What are you saying, Leah?" Aerie gasped.

"I can just see it now..." Leah spoke excitedly, gesticulating as she tried to paint the vision of her imagination for her friends. "Lord Cor steps into the kitchen, already very drunk and looking for another bottle of wine. His daughter is there and tries to stop him from drinking even more... perhaps he pushes, or hits her... we know Cor is prone to bouts of violence when drunk... and perhaps Moira falls awkwardly, or hits her head on the table. She lays on the ground, unconscious and bleeding out, when the estate guard runs in and finds Cor standing over the body of his daughter. Perhaps... perhaps Lord Cor asks him to go and get a healer... but then panics, realizing he might be convicted for murder. He grabs something heavy, something within his reach... and he strikes down the guard from behind," Leah finally stopped, breathing heavily from excitement, giving Sir Keldorn a proud stare. "How am I doing so far?"

Keldorn slowly clapped his hands in acknowledgment before speaking up. "Very well, young lady... very well, indeed," he said with a smile. "To further solidify your theory, upon examining the kitchen, I found a dustless square shaped spot, three by three inches, in one of the shelves by the door."

"As if something heavy had been grabbed in a hurry?" Jaheira asked with narrowed eyes.

"Indeed," Keldorn nodded. "The estate guard informed me that he had seen a large and heavy marble pestle standing there. Heavy enough to crack a man's skull."

"It's horrible... to think that Anomen's father would kill his own daughter..." Aerie gasped, looking terribly upset. "But... why haven't you taken this information to the magistrate?"

"Because I lack tangible evidence, Lady Aerie," Keldorn admitted ruefully. "And the Delryn Estate guard recently retracted all of his statements that could have implicated Lord Cor… very strange that it happened shortly after according to my sources Lord Cor made hasty changes to his last will. Also, due to the immediate cremation of the bodies, we cannot be certain of the time of death, and as such I cannot convincingly dispute Cor's alibi. It is frustrating to know the truth but being unable to do anything to bring it to light, is it not?"

"Very much so," Jaheira agreed, sharing a brief and knowing look with Leah. _Of course, she means the situation with Harpers and nobody believing our side of the story,_ Leah realized instantly _._ "That is why you have posted men to watch both estates, am I correct?"

"Of course you are, shrewd Lady Harper," Keldorn spoke amicably. "At this point, my only hope remains with finding the murder weapon. Sooner or later, someone will try to get rid of it, and when they do... the trap will snap shut."

"That's all good and well... but we have another problem," Leah said with a sigh. "Now that we know the truth... what do we tell Anomen?"


	30. Chapter 30

Having spent some more time at the Inquisitor's Office with Sir Keldorn, Leah and her group eventually departed the halls of the Order guildhouse, accompanied by the elderly paladin as they proceeded towards the Bridge District and Saerk's estate. After some lengthy deliberations, they had all agreed that telling Anomen about their suspicions regarding Lord Cor would be highly counterproductive. The young man was on the edge as it was; learning about his own father possibly killing his daughter, Anomen's sister, would surely drive the squire mad with anger and lead to him doing something even more unreasonable than trying to storm Saerk's estate.

Now that Leah had learned a little more about Sir Keldorn Firecam, she could not help but to admire the wise paladin, feeling confident that sooner or later he would catch Cor by the throat when the old drunk made a fatal mistake and slipped up. Keldorn was unlike any other paladin Leah had met before, mostly because he did not spend the majority of his time reciting the stifling dogma of the Order, in fact, ever since welcoming Leah at his office, the man had not said a single word that might have identified him as a paladin unless they didn't know it beforehand. As an Inquisitor of the Order, Keldorn was frequently called upon to track down and neutralize evil spellcasters, however, his talents went far beyond that. He was good friends with Chief Inspector Brega and Magistrate Bylanna, who occasionally consulted him about particularly puzzling and unusual murder cases, and Keldorn had accrued an impressive amount of experience in ferreting out cruel and wicked murderers of Athkatla over the past decades. In short, Keldorn Firecam was not a man who talked about doing good… he simply went out and did it.

"So, Sir Keldorn," Leah began, after the paladin had finished explaining the intricacies of his everyday job and his role within the Order where he was as much respected as feared due to the amount of his peers' secrets that he was aware of. "You have dealt with many so called magical deviants over the years, am I right? What do you think about the Cowled Wizards?"

"If you believe that I have dealt with those who misuse their gift of magic on behalf of the Cowled ones, then you are sorely mistaken, young lady," Keldorn replied. "I am not their errand boy who cleans up their mess whenever they displace one of their prisoners. Not to mention that I find their practices repugnant... even if the law is on their side. And it is all too easy to say that if a law is unjust, then simply change the law. It is difficult to press for these changes if the mysterious Council of Six issues these laws, and we can only guess at the identities of these people. Let me tell you, my friends... being a paladin in Amn is an exercise in retaining one's faith... and sanity."

"Do I need to worry about anything... you know, being a mage..." Aerie spoke up timidly.

"I do not believe so, Lady Aerie, and the same goes for your friend Lady Nalia," Keldorn smiled kindly. "However, I can't say the same about your friend Edwin, Leah. That one is a bad seed if I have ever seen one, and I've had my eye on him ever since he arrived in Athkatla."

"Why, has he committed any acts of unspeakable wickedness lately?" Leah asked, mentally face-palming herself.

"Not as such, at least as far as I know," Keldorn shrugged. "And acting like a miserable, arrogant prat is not a punishable offence, unless Lord Torm has drastically altered his dogma since the last time I prayed. Which admittedly was quite some time ago..."

Leah laughed at that, her respect for the elderly paladin only rising with every measured word from his mouth. "Say, Lord Keldorn... even if you are not particularly close with the Cowled Wizards..." she began to speak hesitantly. "Perhaps during your long career you have heard something about a place called Spellhold."

"I was wondering when you would get around to that, Leah," Keldorn chuckled knowingly. "Your friend Imoen, she is there, is she not?" Leah nodded sourly at that. "Well... I don't know much, I'm afraid. Not enough to lead you to the doorstep of this Spellhold, at least. Still..." the old paladin clicked his tongue before continuing. "When you've served the law for as long as I have... you end up overhearing stories. And over the years, I have had dealings with several wizards who insisted that they had been in Spellhold..."

"Really? Tell me what you know!" Leah exclaimed, her heart starting to beat rapidly in excitement. Jaheira must have sensed it, for the young priestess immediately felt the half-elf's hand linking with hers and offering a comforting squeeze, helping her calm down and curb her enthusiasm.

"The stories are wild, varied, and fantastic, neither two of them alike," Keldorn explained patiently. "It was hard to tell where the truth stopped and imagination took root. None of these men or women who spoke to me about Spellhold were... the same than what they were before. This may not be what you wanted to hear, young lady, but it seems as if prolonged stay at Spellhold is a life changing experience."

"All the more reason to make sure that Imoen's stay there is as short as possible," Leah muttered quietly as they walked.

"I quite agree," Keldorn nodded. "There is one detail where all these stories coincide, however. It seems that this Spellhold is some kind of island fortress, most likely somewhere up along the coast of Amn. The trouble is, Sea of Swords is littered with hundreds, thousands small islands that all could be host to a reclusive fortress."

"So it still doesn't bring us any closer," Leah sighed in defeat. "Without someone who knows the exact location, finding Spellhold on our own appears impossible."

"Unfortunately, I must agree with that summary, Leah," Keldorn said in a kind, apologetic voice. "Ah, the Bridge District," the old paladin smiled fondly as they passed through the massive, slightly dilapidated gates that separated the different districts of Athkatla, to enter a place that at first seemed almost as bad as the slums to Leah, but she was forced to quickly revise that assessment. Not only did it not smell nearly as bad as the slums, but this district seemed to have a kind of charm and vibrancy to itself, feeling more lively than the depressively pessimistic aura surrounding the Copper Coronet.

"This is, perhaps, my favorite place in Athkatla," their paladin guide stated, somewhat surprisingly. "The eclectic, multicultural heart of the capital. Can you hear it? The cries of the gulls, the horns of the fishing boats, the colorful swearing of the sailors! There is life here, compared to the slums, and there is honesty here, compared to the Promenade. Look around, see how many people of different races are mingling together in this charming melting pot!"

"Hmm… I had never thought about that, but... your words do have merit, Keldorn," Jaheira admitted thoughtfully, having looked around, allowing the paladin's words to sink in.

"The hustle and bustle here does seem different than in the other districts of Athkatla," Leah agreed, noticing that indeed, this place was not as much dominated by humans as elsewhere in the capital of Amn. Of the other races, the halflings and dwarves were particularly numerous, but there were also plenty of half-orcs working as dockhands.

"I have been to a theatre play here once with Uncle Quayle," Aerie spoke up with a happy smile of reminiscence. "It was very good, I can heartily recommend it."

"Well, that's something to keep in mind if we happen to have a free evening," Leah admitted, feeling very much intrigued by the possibility of watching a lovely play, even if she was well aware that a night off was a luxury they would probably be unable to afford. "Hmm, now what's going on over there?" she asked a moment later as they came upon a large crowd of spectators, curiously observing something.

"Everyone, step aside and let us work, or I'll run you all in!" Leah could hear someone bellowing and sure enough the crowd parted quickly and began to disperse, accompanied by disgruntled muttering, revealing a grizzly scene with a trio of city guards working to load several badly mangled bodies onto a cart.

"Lieutenant Aegisfield," Keldorn spoke up, announcing their presence, the guard lieutenant looking up and managing a smile as he saw the approaching paladin and his entourage. "Busy morning, I take it?"

Aegisfield muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a curse, taking Keldorn's hand in a firm handshake. "Lord Keldorn, good to meet you, as always," the lieutenant, a friendly looking man in his forties, spoke up as he greeted the paladin. "Yes... this blasted guild war is getting more and more intense. And I don't have to tell you who's gaining the upper hand..."

"Those all look like Shadow Thieves to me," Leah remarked, eyeing the leather clad corpses.

"Good eye, lass," Aegisfield nodded at her. "Have you taken on apprentices, Lord Keldorn? This is a sharp looking group following you, old friend."

"Apprentices... glad to see that four corpses on the street have not dented your sense of humor, lieutenant," Keldorn laughed. "No, they are recent acquaintances of mine." He turned back to face Leah. "But yes, young lady, you made a correct observation. While you were gone from Athkatla, the Shadow Thieves have been suffering one defeat after another."

"And we have our orders to stay out of these guild sorties," Aegisfield commented bitterly. "I won't lie to you, it makes me relieved. I don't want to even think how many men I would have lost by now if the Council had insisted that we do something to stop this guild war."

"Yes, that is something to consider," Keldorn agreed. "Listen, old friend, the reason why we are here is a simple one. We are looking for one of the squires of the Order, Anomen Delryn. I have a reason to believe that he might be trying to storm the estate of one Saerk Farrahd."

"Oh," Aegisfield's face clouded a little bit, making Leah instantly sick with worry. "Yes... we had some unpleasantness at Saerk's estate, old friend," he reluctantly explained. "I understand that you had some of your own men watching the house, yes?" Keldorn nodded quickly at that. "They were at the scene quickly, attempted to stop young Delryn, but... he was enraged like a bull and took a swing at one of your men who tried to drag him away from Saerk's property. And well… flails are nasty weapons, Lord Keldorn. Never did like them."

"Did... did he kill a fellow squire?" Keldorn asked, having gone pale as chalk in the face.

"Kill? No, he didn't kill anyone," the lieutenant shook his head. "But I'm not sure if the other squire's arm will ever be as good as it was... I saw the poor lad, Keldorn, and he did not make for a pretty sight. The arm was almost completely shattered. They are still putting it back together at the nearby temple of Helm. The boy will live, but... will he be able to swing his sword as well as before? I doubt it."

"By Milil... Anomen, what have you done?" Leah gasped, her legs suddenly growing weak, Jaheira reacting quickly to support her.

"Where is squire Delryn now?" Keldorn demanded, stern expression on his face.

"I had no other choice but to ask my men to detain him," Aegisfield shrugged. "He will be locked in a dungeon cell until we decide what to do with him. The lad simply lost his head, and when he realized what he had done... he looked utterly devastated. But... the law is what it is. A squire of the Order should know that better than anyone."

"Better than anyone, indeed," the older paladin muttered before uttering several choice swearwords that Leah had never heard coming from any paladin's mouth. "Torm take me! I should not have left this task to mere boys! But I can't be everywhere at once... damnation!"

"Would it be possible to see Anomen?" Leah asked hopefully.

"Not today, young lady," Aegisfield shook his head. "But I'm sure that the Warden will allow you to see your sweetheart tomorrow."

"Oh, they are not a couple," Jaheira quickly explained even before Leah could utter a word.

"Ah, my apologies for assuming wrongly," the lieutenant bowed lightly before Leah.

"Yes, well, if there is nothing else, we probably should..." Keldorn began to speak before cutting himself off abruptly. "Unless there are some new developments in the... big case..." he said narrowing his eyes at the lieutenant.

"No new bodies for the past three days... Tyr be praised," Aegisfield sighed. "Sadly, also no progress... the locals are simply too scared to talk to me, fearing that it might get them killed. And I can't exactly blame them for being afraid. What I need is someone from the outside, not affiliated with the guards... or the Order, to go poking around and perhaps someone might eventually open up to them."

"Oh?" Leah suddenly piped up, her curiosity stirred. "Is this a paying job?"

"Hmm… I am sure that Chief Inspector Brega has some emergency funds he would not mind parting with," Aegisfield replied.

"This is not a good idea, Leah," Keldorn warned. "You don't even know what you would be getting into."

"Well, I trust that the good lieutenant here would not mind explaining," Leah winked at Aegisfield, watching the friendly guardsman blush a little and nod excitedly.

"As you wish, my lady," Aegisfield bowed his head at Leah. "We've had a... a string of killings in the Bridge District, and I have been powerless to put a stop to it."

"What makes these killings different from the victims of the guild war?" Jaheira inquired curiously.

"We are dealing with a kind of murder I have never seen," the lieutenant shook his head, looking nauseated. "There's a disgustingly sick person out there and I simply don't have the manpower to protect everyone. He's been killing paupers, sometimes in the alley where they sleep."

"How horrible!" Aerie gasped. "Why would someone prey on the poor?"

"There's no explanation, at least not a reasonable one," Aegisfield sighed. "And this madman commits these murders in a particularly twisted and painful way... the state of the corpses turns even my stomach, and I have seen many horrible things over the years."

"Uh... dare I ask how exactly they are killed?" Leah asked, bracing herself for a gruesome answer.

"They have been flayed alive," the lieutenant winced as he replied. "Entire alleys drowning in blood when we come across another victim."

"You don't want to get involved with this, Leah," Keldorn warned her again. "Leave it to the guard, they are best equipped to deal with this."

"But the guard themselves admitted needing outside help," Leah argued. "Besides, you seem to know everything about us, Lord Keldorn, in which case you should know that I still badly need coin to rescue Imoen." Keldorn did not reply anything to that, merely shrugging and nodding in reluctant acceptance.

"If you are honest in your desire to help, my lady, then I have several promising leads for you to pursue," Lieutenant Aegisfield spoke, looking encouraged. "Little Faraji, a local urchin, found the latest victim a few days ago. The kid was very badly shaken up and I haven't been able to get a single word out of him since. Perhaps... perhaps a gentler approach by a lady would yield better results."

"That poor child," Aerie lamented. "We will be very careful when speaking with him, we promise."

"Also, you could ask Old Rampah, a beggar hanging around Delosar's Inn," Aegisfield continued. "I know for certain that he has come across this murderer, at least once, but he refuses to speak about it, at least not to me. Not a great surprise, considering I've run him in several times for various different misdemeanors. Like showing his naked bum to Lady Tanislove while she was throwing coins to the poor, riding an open carriage through the district."

"I think I like this Rampah fellow," Leah chuckled.

"I agree with the sentiment, but unfortunately in this city nobles have more pull than crazy old beggars," Aegisfield smiled at her. "The last person you should speak with is one of the local streetwalkers, Rose Bouquet. She usually plies her trade by the Five Flagons Inn during the evenings. Nice lass, but she doesn't like the guards, and for a good reason, I'm afraid." Leah faced him with an inquiring stare, demanding an explanation, and the lieutenant resumed with a heavy sigh. "A couple of my men tried to press her for freebies... and acted in a manner completely unbecoming of a guard. I had them flogged and tossed out of the city guard, but I don't think Rose will forget that unpleasantness in a hurry. But she might open up to you..."

"Umm, sure... we can talk to her as well," Leah nodded. "We'll return soon to look into this matter for you, Lieutenant. But now, I think we should catch up with the rest of the group back at the Copper Coronet and decide on our next move. Sir Keldorn," she turned to the elderly paladin who appeared to be casually observing her. "I would like to visit Anomen tomorrow morning, I think he could do with some emotional support. Would you care to accompany me?"

"I will meet you tomorrow morning by the garrison entrance in the Government District," Keldorn replied, then bowing as he bade them farewell. "Goodbye, charming ladies and brave rangers, and let Torm guide your path."

"Did you hear that, Boo? The nice paladin called us both brave! Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice!" Minsc raved as Leah lead her group out the Bridge District gates, stopping only for a moment to accept a pamphlet describing something called the Sigil Troupe performing theatre plays at the Five Flagons Inn. Leah was attracted to theatre almost as much as she was drawn to music and singing, and even though Imoen's rescue took precedence over everything else, the young priestess was hoping that perhaps she could free at least one evening to visit the Five Flagons and enjoy a lovely theatre play.

 _Hmm… Viconia is a woman of refined tastes... maybe she would like to come as well,_ sudden thought popped into Leah's head. _Perhaps I can use it as a way of an apology? The mere thought that she is angry with me is insufferable… it is driving me insane! I need her to... to, well, just to be my friend again... to begin with._ Leah cringed inwardly, realizing how false even her inner monologue sounded. _The only reason I'm so upset about her being cold to me is because I'm afraid that she no longer wants me... might as well admit that to myself..._

"Leah?" she snapped out of her thoughts at Jaheira's gentle voice, the half-elf's hand tugging at her shoulder. "Shall we be off?"

"Oh... of course," Leah shook her head, leaving her conflicting thoughts behind. "Back to the Copper Coronet!"

* * *

Since Leah did not plan to embark on any new quests until speaking with Anomen on the following morning, she was only too happy to allow Aerie spend the evening with her uncle, insisting that the avariel allowed Minsc to accompany her. In his infinite hamsterly wisdom, Boo also seemed to approve of this decision and helped Leah convince Minsc, insisting that the streets of Athkatla were not safe for a petite young elf like Aerie to travel, especially at a late hour.

This left Leah and Jaheira to return to the Copper Coronet alone, but they did not speak much on the short walk to the slums. Upon entering the by now much cleaner and more orderly establishment, the pair proceeded up to the bar counter to inquire whether someone had possessed the good sense to arrange accommodations for them all.

"Oh... Jaheira," Bernard greeted the half-elven druid, looking a little nervous. "Didn't expect to see you... so soon. Uh, may we have a word in private?"

"Speak your mind, Bernard," Jaheira replied. "I trust Leah implicitly." Hearing these simple words filled the young Sorlyn with pleasant warmth.

"Very well," the portly barkeeper nodded. "You should know that I have been asked to report to... you know who, should I ever happen to see you here."

"I would never want you to get into trouble on my behalf, Bernard," Jaheira smiled briefly. "Do what you have to do, and I will do the same."

"Well, the thing is..." Bernard harrumphed uncomfortably. "I don't really want to report you, Jaheira... both you and Khalid have always been kind to me. But I just want to know what happened at the Harper Hold. Tell me it's not like they're telling it."

"It's not, Bernard," Jaheira replied with deep conviction. "Galvarey was motivated by his ambition of becoming a Herald and sought to do something heinous. Leah and I were forced to defend ourselves. You have known me for years, Bernard... surely you know that I would never raise my hand against a fellow Harper."

"For what it's worth, I believe you, lass," Bernard smiled, looking reassured. "And you don't have to worry about me talking. They will likely soon learn of your whereabouts, you know that... but at least they won't hear it from me."

"Thank you, Bernard," Jaheira smiled back, grabbing the keys to their room and turning around to leave.

"Yes, we really appreciate it," Leah also thanked the barkeeper before leaving. "Sympathetic ears have been hard to find lately," the young priestess added as she began to look around the large common room, trying to spot one of their friends, but failing to notice anyone.

"Were you looking for me, young lovely?" a very familiar voice suddenly spoke up behind her back, forcing Leah to jump a little and bump into Jaheira, nearly toppling her over.

"By Milil, don't ever do that again, Yoshimo," Leah glared, then affectionately patting the bounty hunter on the shoulder, glad to see the wily rogue once again. "Shall we find a place to sit so that you can tell us what has been happening in Athkatla?" Yoshimo nodded swiftly at that, and a little while later the three of them sat down at a table in a more discreet corner of the busy inn. "Also, where is everyone else? Valygar, Edwin, Viconia?"

"Edwin comes and goes as he pleases, and never keeps anyone informed about his plans," Yoshimo began to explain. "There is always the chance that he might stop by later. As for your new brooding ranger friend, well, he went to scout around this mysterious Planar Sphere... and let me tell you, lovely ladies, it certainly has been the talk of the slums for the past tenday."

"I can believe that," Leah remarked, taking a sip of the surprisingly tasty ale. As a true barbarian of the North, Hendak deemed watering down the ale to be a crime worthy of the harshest punishment, and as such the quality of the drinks in the Copper Coronet had improved markedly. "What about Viconia?"

"Ah, our Drow lovely went to visit the brothel upstairs," Yoshimo replied casually, his words causing Leah to choke on her ale, the young priestess coughing violently until Jaheira gave her a pair of sound claps on the back, allowing Leah to catch her breath.

"What in the Abyss is wrong with you?" Jaheira chided. "This place no longer has a brothel, do you not remember? We got rid of it together with the pit fighting and the Black Lotus den."

"Oh... oh, of course. I knew that!" Leah tried to recover, but it did not help that she was still blushing furiously.

"A most interesting reaction, my young lovely," Yoshimo chuckled, looking particularly smug. "Something tells me that your travels away from Athkatla have been full with curious developments that I would like to hear about..."

"There is not much to talk about, we handled our tasks quickly and efficiently before moving on," Leah replied quickly, still red in the face, Jaheira shaking her head with exasperation at her young charge. "In any case, you were supposed to inform us about the developments in Athkatla, not the other way around."

"Such harsh taskmistress, right down to the business," Yoshimo joked, probably enjoying the way Leah was torn between feeling embarrassed and trying to glare at him. "Very well, as you wish, ladies. As per your request, I have been closely observing the underworld of Athkatla, especially this guild war between the Shadow Thieves and their mysterious rival guild. And let me tell you, things have not been going well for our friends, the Shadow Thieves."

"I wouldn't exactly call them our friends," Leah scowled. "And they were getting beaten up by their rivals even before we left Athkatla."

"Not like this, Leah," Yoshimo shook his head, all pretense of jesting gone from his face. "The other guild has increased the intensity of their attacks, and a couple of nights ago they completely wiped out one of the smallest guildhouses in the slums. At least ten were killed and twice that many taken alive."

"Worrying... also, we should just call the rival guild for what they are," Leah said simply. "Vampires."

"As you wish, Leah," Yoshimo replied, looking uncomfortable, as if even uttering the word would bring ill luck or increase their chances of getting bitten by one of the bloodsuckers. "But with the way the guild war is going... we need to consider a critical issue..."

"That the Shadow Thieves might not be in a position to help us once we have gathered the gold," Jaheira summarized aptly. "What are you suggesting, Yoshimo?"

"I know that it might sound crazy, but if this vampire guild takes over the Shadow Thief turf... they could be holding the resources we need to rescue your friend, Leah," Yoshimo explained, wincing as he did so. "It might be wise to consider this and at least avoid antagonizing them too much..."

"Hmm… working with vampires?" Leah mused, glancing over at Jaheira, the druidess frowning deeply at the prospect. "I'm not thrilled about the idea, but... as I have said before, for Imoen I would do anything. Only as a last resort, though."

"I agree," Jaheira nodded, next to her. "The others might have a harder time agreeing with this choice if we are forced to take it. Anomen, Aerie... even Nalia might struggle to accept it. Something to keep in mind."

"I know that it might be a hard sell, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Leah shrugged. "One more thing to consider, though," she added, looking around before turning back to stare at Yoshimo. "Seriously, though, where is Viconia? I wanted to check whether she is still angry with me."

"Why would she be angry with you?" Jaheira inquired curiously.

"Oh, you know... we're talking Viconia here, always blowing hot and cold. She's completely unpredictable," Leah replied, trying to appear indifferent. "I simply wanted to get to the bottom of her issues."

"She is upstairs, in the best room that Hendak has been keeping reserved for his favorite lady heroes," Yoshimo explained with a chuckle.

"Right, I guess I'd better go talk to her then," Leah muttered, starting to rise from the table.

"Would you like me to accompany you, or would you rather have some time with her in private?" Jaheira asked, sounding suspiciously all too innocent for Leah's tastes.

"I would appreciate it if you would give us a quarter of an hour at least, please," the young Sorlyn replied stiffly, turning around and heading for the stairs. As she walked up the steps, Leah made sure to look back at Yoshimo and Jaheira at the table, frowning at the knowing smiles on their faces.

After a cautious knock on the door yielded no reply, Leah decided to enter, finding Viconia sprawled on one of the comfortable looking beds, appearing so engrossed in the book she was reading that she did not even bother to acknowledge Leah's arrival. "Umm... hey, Viconia," Leah began uncertainly, dropping her belongings somewhere in the corner of the room. "Are you still upset with me?"

"As I told you once already, _abbil_ , that depends entirely on you," the Drow replied idly, continuing to read.

"Right... well, I might have something here to hopefully appease you," Leah said, approaching Viconia's bed and sliding the theatre pamphlet on top of the page of the book that the Drow was currently reading.

"Hmm, now what is this?" Viconia wondered curiously, quickly reading the pamphlet. "Are you planning to go and watch this play?"

"Yes... and I thought that you could accompany me," Leah suggested hopefully. "I mean... you have boasted about how superior the Drow culture is to the surfacer culture, so I thought you might at least have fun criticizing the actors, while I simply enjoy the play."

"Oh, don't be so quick to assume that I would find their performance abysmal," Viconia actually smiled at her, making Leah's heart skip with joy. "And I'm sure that your company will make up for any shortcomings on the actor's part," the Drow added with a wink, making Leah blush excitedly. "But I like your idea, little _jalil_. It has potential."

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" Leah asked, smiling.

"You are," Viconia smiled back, patting the side of her bed and urging Leah to sit down, an invitation that the girl accepted quickly and eagerly. "Now, tell me how your day was, what happened with our shiny wannabe knight and his dead sister?"

"Uh... that could have gone better, actually," Leah sighed, then proceeding to explain everything that had happened in great detail. "So..." she proceeded to summarize after a few minutes of rapid elaborations. "That's why Anomen is currently locked up in the garrison dungeons, and I'm going to visit him tomorrow morning..."

"By Shar, that man can be such complete imbecile," Viconia sighed, shaking her head. "Still... I cannot be completely dismissive of the fool. His loss of a sibling strikes a chord deep within me," she added pensively, her words surprising Leah.

"Truly?" the young Sorlyn asked. "You told me about slaughtering your sister without any great remorse... did you not?"

"I did," Viconia conceded. "But... I have not told you the story of how I lost my brother..."

"Will you?" Leah asked softly, nudging a little closer to Viconia so that their shoulders brushed lightly. "Please?"

"Very well," Viconia finally allowed after a thoughtful pause. "It is related to the story of how I came to flee the Underdark."

"Now I'm even more curious," Leah smiled at the Drow encouragingly. "Please, you know that I will not betray your confidence, Viconia."

"I do know that, yes," the beautiful Drow smiled back at her before beginning her tale. "I had been worshipping Lolth for an age and a half, longer than you have been alive, but there came a time when my faith in Lolth was no more. I lapsed when a child... a baby... was to die. The pointlessness of it all... it would not have made Lolth stronger or more influential or made her a greater deity. I lost my will that day. One of the lesser priestesses noticed my hesitation and she took the babe's life herself, eager to usurp my place in Lolth's favor."

"Well... I'm actually glad that you didn't murder the baby, Viconia," Leah whispered, shuddering at the terrible mental image.

"So am I, _abbil_ , even if my actions had horrible consequences," Viconia replied softly. "Sacrifices are not the only things that die, Leah. I still have nightmares from time to time. And they come from my dark places."

"But I digress..." the Drow continued after a moment of heavy silence. "As I was saying... my House had fallen into disfavor with the Dark Queen as a result of my actions, and the word spread throughout the city. My mother scrambled to make sacrifices of wealth and servants to appease Lolth, but the goddess would have none of it. As is custom among the Drow, the weak become the prey of the faithful. A lesser House jumped at the opportunity and began a war with ours. Lolth was pleased at the House's aggression... and ours had to fight twice as hard to survive and regain Lolth's favor. My mother wished me to recant, to prostrate myself before the Spider Queen and beg forgiveness. She was desperate that I do so, in fact. But I refused. I was disgusted with my Queen, so I cursed my mother and endangered my House. In my naiveté, I thought that I would survive after my actions."

"But you sit here now by my side, obviously alive... and I am thankful for it," Leah spoke quietly.

"You are kind to say so, Leah," Viconia replied, briefly embracing the other priestess. "Let me tell you what happened after my refusal to beg Lolth's forgiveness. My mother did the only thing she thought she could do, of course. She commanded that I be offered as a sacrifice to appease the Spider Queen. I was surrounded by male soldiers who attempted to cart me off to the temple. I hated my mother, but I knew that she was doing the right thing for our House. I knew that my Queen would indeed be pleased at one of her daughters being offered to her. I fought grandly, killing many of the males... but it was futile. I was overwhelmed, dragged to the temple and splayed across the altar in preparation for the priestesses to take my life. I was frightened... terrified, in fact. I would have died, were it not for... were it not for my brother. My poor, foolish brother… Valas..."

Having heard Viconia's voice choking up at those words, Leah turned to look at the Drow's face, noticing with surprise that her eyes were unusually bright and shiny, and indeed, her ebony cheeks glistened with wetness of tears. "Viconia... you are... crying..." Leah gasped, as if not believing such a thing possible.

"You did not think I was capable, yes?" the Drow managed, trying to recompose herself. "Valas and I... we had a relationship that was unusual for the Drow. But I do not think I can tell you any more right now, or I would make a complete spectacle of myself."

"Of course... but I would love to hear more later," Leah said softly, embracing the slightly startled Drow, spurred on by sudden burst of need to protect Viconia, to be strong and comfort her. Suddenly, her own fears felt insignificant and faded away completely, her heart swelling and bursting from seeing the tears glistening in the corners of the dark elf's slanted eyes. "Viconia... can I kiss you, please?" she asked quietly.

"You may," Viconia allowed, smiling and leaning closer as their lips met in another kiss filled with longing and agonizing sweetness, sensual lips and impossibly soft tongues teasingly exploring each other, pulling away with regret at the insistent knocking on the door by someone who could only be Jaheira.

"We will... talk later," Leah breathed out heavily, reluctantly pulling away.

"We most assuredly will," Viconia agreed, a hint of promise in her glistening eyes.


	31. Chapter 31

Leah let out a deep sigh as she watched Jaheira forking over the pouch of valuable gems and a bag of gold coins to Ribald in order to cover their bill of almost six thousand gold for the purchases made at the Adventurer's Mart. Despite agreeing with Jaheira's logic that they needed to invest in better equipment in order to stand up to the challenges in their way of rescuing Imoen, it was hard for the young priestess not to feel glum when she realized that they had just fallen from the total of twenty thousand gold, which had been enough to meet the demands of the Shadow Thieves, down to fourteen thousand, three thousand short of the mark. And the most depressing realization was that their gear still left much room for improvement, not being even quite where it was when they had squared off against Sarevok and his goons. And Leah was of one mind with Jaheira that they would still need to invest twice, if not thrice as much, before they could consider themselves being ready.

Still, the young priestess was relatively happy with what they had acquired on this shopping session, giving them all more confidence before they proceeded to explore this Planar Sphere for Valygar, stepping into complete unknown. Leah and Jaheira were happy with their weapons, both of them wielding almost identical looking magical scimitars from their Trademeet adventures, but they had needed better magical armor, an expansive need that had just been met by perusing Ribald's stock. Aerie had required new traveling mage robes, after her previous cheaply enchanted set had been burned by the rakshasa's fireball, and Viconia had received a better set of weapons, magically enchanted mace and a powerful sling.

However, many even more expensive needs remained unmet. Minsc was happy with his weapons, Sarevok's old sword continuing to serve him well, but the large ranger needed to invest in a much better suit of armor. Viconia had eyed the girdle of giant's strength, and Leah had been eager to purchase it for the Drow, but that was until Ribald had named his price, forcing Leah and Viconia to exchange regretful looks and place the item back on the shelf. Still, Leah placed it on her lengthy wish list, knowing that Viconia could make very good use of the belt and become an even more effective party member. Aerie was mostly set, but lacked enchanted bracers and magical jewelry, all expensive purchases. Leah and Jaheira also required a few more things to round up their kit, and even though Anomen's status as a member of their group was currently in jeopardy, Leah knew that the young squire needed a better set of armor, at the very least. It was a small blessing that Yoshimo had taken care of his own equipment needs, Valygar was happy with what he had, and Edwin, who had showed up late last night and appeared very intrigued by the possible trip to explore the Planar Sphere, was also capable of maintaining his own gear to meet the high standards expected of any self-respecting Red Wizard.

With their morning shopping session behind them, Leah led her friends out of the Adventurer's Mart before turning around to address them. "I should hurry to the Government District now, Keldorn is probably already expecting me by the garrison," she spoke. "I want the rest of you to return to the Copper Coronet and wait for me. We'll set out for the Planar Sphere as soon as I get back."

"I would prefer it if you did not wander around this city all on your own," Jaheira frowned with disapproval. "I will come with you."

"As will I," Viconia decided. "If only to mock the foolishness of our would-be knight."

"Uh, I'm not sure that's a great idea for you to return to the garrison where you were already imprisoned once," Leah shook her head. "Someone might recognize you as the Drow that was supposed to be burned by those damned Beshabans. And I'm not sure how Keldorn would react to you and that entire circumstance... even if he seemed like a practical, reasonable man."

"I am certain that he already is aware that we are traveling with a Drow, given how much he seemed to know about us," Jaheira offered her thoughtful opinion. "Still, I would also err on the side of caution and keep Viconia away from the garrison."

"Little Viconia will walk with Minsc, Boo and Aerie back to the Copper Coronet," Minsc announced cheerfully. "We will tell her all about Boo's amazing circus adventures of last night!"

"...I can hardly contain myself with excitement..." Viconia muttered unenthusiastically, prompting hearty chuckles from Leah and Jaheira as the pair set out on their walk towards the Government District.

* * *

Sir Keldorn was already waiting for them at the garrison entrance, casually leaning against the wall and drawing puffs of smoke from the old pipe in his mouth. Having noticed the two ladies approaching, he straightened himself out and tipped his hat to his recent acquaintances. "Morning, ladies," the aged Inquisitor greeted them. "The warden of the garrison is an old friend of mine, and has agreed to let us in to visit young Anomen. And I did not even have to call in any of the... oh, Torm forbid, about twenty favors he owes me."

"Morning, Sir Keldorn," Leah smiled at the paladin. "Does Anomen know we are coming?"

"He does not," Keldorn shook his head. "But I am certain he will appreciate the support that your visit will bring, ladies."

"Or perhaps our visit will inflict crushing guilt and shame upon our rashly acting squire," Jaheira remarked thoughtfully.

"Perhaps that would be more appropriate, considering the circumstances," Keldorn muttered, leading them all inside the garrison, past the posted guards who looked to have been already informed about their arrival. For a while, the group of three walked through drab, depressively grey hallways, eventually reaching a staircase down to the prison cell level, where they were shown to a larger room and asked to wait until the guards delivered the prisoner. After a frustratingly long delay, the doors of the waiting room opened and the guards shoved Anomen into the room, the guards themselves remaining on the other side of the doors, giving those inside a measure of privacy.

"My... my Lady?" Anomen stuttered, having finally looked up from the floor and recognizing Leah. "And… Lord Keldorn?" he stammered even more badly upon noticing the older, widely respected paladin of the Order.

"I am here as well," Jaheira remarked with a casual roll of her eyes. "And I have to say that you look horrible, Anomen."

"I... oh, my apologies, Lady Jaheira, I had no right to exclude you so rudely," Anomen uttered quickly, then turning back towards Leah. "But... why are you here, my Lady? Have you come to compound my shame and misery, perhaps? I can assure you, you will not find anyone more disgusted with my own conduct than myself..."

"Regret is an important component in absolution from guilt," Keldorn remarked gravely. "That said, I think none of us are here to judge you and your actions, young Anomen. The courts will do so shortly enough."

"Yes... and I don't expect them to be gentle..." Anomen sighed, looking devastated. "What I did is... unforgivable. I did not mean to strike the lad, I truly did not, but what does intent matter? The dreams of another squire lay shattered because of my careless actions, driven by revenge. Of course, my own dreams have been ruined as well, but... that does not merit consideration right now..."

"Don't give up hope yet, Anomen," Leah tried to smile encouragingly. "We will support you all the way, you must know that. When... when is the court hearing scheduled?"

"In three days," Keldorn replied in a severe voice. "Such clear-cut cases are usually handled very swiftly. As far as I know, Magistrate Bylanna will make the ruling herself."

"Well, at least we can be certain of a fair trial," Leah tried to remain upbeat. "I don't suppose there is a way that Anomen could be released to travel with us until the hearing?"

"The bail could be up to several thousand in gold," Keldorn shrugged. "I can make the inquiries..."

"No… no, please don't," Anomen protested. "I could not live with the guilt if you were to spend so much gold from your Imoen Rescue Fund on my behalf. Please, my Lady, I beg you, leave me here to rot until the trial... and possibly for months, perhaps years afterwards..."

"I'm sure you're just being unnecessarily dramatic, Anomen," Leah smiled encouragingly. "The magistrate will surely consider your genuine regret and willingness to atone. You will soon be traveling with us again, I am certain of it."

"Will you... will you even want me by your side after all this, my Lady?" the dejected squire managed in a broken voice.

"Of course, Anomen," Leah nodded firmly. "I don't turn my back on friends after a single mistake or lapse of judgment. You will always have a place in our group."

"Even if I might no longer have a place in the Order..." Anomen whispered, barely daring to look up to face Keldorn.

"That remains to be seen, Squire Anomen," the older paladin replied. "We will not take any decisions with haste, not until we have considered everything that should be taken into account. Your Test was scheduled within a month..."

"Prelate Wessalen can surely cancel the event now," Anomen spat, looking disgusted with himself. "It would be a waste of everyone's time. The gods will never excuse what I did to poor Squire Waltor."

"You know as well as I do that once scheduled, the Test cannot simply be canceled," Keldorn said. "I would advise you to use this remaining time to do what you can to prove that you are capable of conduct befitting a full-time knight. Remember, young Anomen, true knights are not prone to making mistakes. The gods will not judge you based on the laws of men, they will look into the depths of your heart and then ascertain your worthiness."

"That is... not going to improve my chances..." Anomen muttered quietly.

"In that case, I would suggest that you find a way to cleanse what darkness remains in your heart," Keldorn advised. "And no, do not ask me how to do that, there is no ready recipe for it; if there were, we would not need the Test. Everyone reaches purity of the heart and clarity of the mind in their own way, squire. Right now you have plenty of time to contemplate upon my words, and amply opportunities for prayer. I think you should get started."

"Yes... yes, I should," Anomen nodded. "Thank you for your advice, Lord Keldorn, it is truly appreciated. As for you, my Lady..." he said, turning back to face Leah. "I apologize from the depths of my heart for letting you down at such crucial time of our joint travels. I hope that my absence will not hinder your smooth progress."

"That is one thing you should not worry about now, Anomen," Leah smiled at the squire. "We will miss you, of course, but I am surrounded with capable individuals capable of stepping up in your absence."

"Are you planning to enter the Planar Sphere?" Anomen asked, receiving a swift nod from Leah. "Please, my Lady, promise you'll be careful. I fear that many unexpected dangers await you inside."

"We will be very careful, I promise," Leah replied encouragingly, but any further talk was disrupted by a group of four guards, storming the waiting room and announcing that the time for visiting had passed and that they were supposed to return Anomen to his cell. Still, as they took the squire away, Leah was pleased to note that he was walking with his head held high, seemingly feeling uplifted from their brief talk.

Within a few minutes, Leah, Jaheira and Keldorn were standing outside the garrison, the old paladin withdrawing his pipe and taking plenty of time to light it, while carefully studying both his female companions. "So," the paladin began, having expelled the first puff of smoke. "You plan to explore the Planar Sphere. Interesting. I assume that you have discovered the means to enter it."

"We believe so, yes," Leah replied without further elaboration. _Does he want to come with us? Should I ask him about it?_ She frantically asked herself when nobody said a single word for a while. "Umm... would you like to accompany us, Lord Keldorn?"

"Oh, to explore a creation of a demented wizard? Of course, it certainly intrigues me," Keldorn chuckled. "Alas, I am a busy man and do not have the time to spare... at least not until a certain case is resolved to my satisfaction..."

"You will not rest until Lord Cor rots in a prison cell, will you?" Jaheira asked curiously, earning a brief nod from the paladin. "I respect your dedication, paladin Keldorn."

"So do I," Leah agreed. "And thank you for the words you spoke to Anomen. He sometimes does not even realize himself how much he needs the kind of guidance that you gave him. I'm sure he will appreciate your advice once he has slept on your words."

"For the lad's sake, I hope that I was able to help," Keldorn said, frowning a little, then facing Leah with a deeply scrutinizing stare. "He seems to think the world of you, young lady."

"Yes. Yes, so it would seem," Leah replied, refusing to elaborate, not wanting to disclose what she was feeling towards Anomen.

"Be as it may, we should resume with our respective tasks," Keldorn said after a brief pause. "Oh, and Leah..." the old paladin added before turning around to leave. "Make sure to visit me at the Inquisitor's Office once you are done exploring the sphere... I believe I might have something interesting to share with you..."

* * *

The Planar Sphere certainly passed for a strange and intimidating sight, Leah admitted as much to herself as she stood next to the massive, completely smooth looking structure that had appeared seemingly from nowhere in the middle of the slums of Athkatla, displacing several buildings completely, and severing a few others in half. Leah did not want to spend too much time dwelling on what might have happened to those dozens and dozens of poor people who had simply been doing their daily chores in their apartments, or even worse, sleeping through the night and thinking themselves safe. It was clear enough that most of them had perished, but those who had miraculously survived the appearance of the sphere had camped out in the street, continuously speculating about just what had happened, some of them even engaging in bitter and pointless arguing regarding the ownership of the sphere.

Leah glanced over the group that she had gathered to take with her into the sphere, all of them eyeing the mysterious structure with varying degrees of suspicion, excitement and curiosity. Including herself, they numbered eight people, as large a force as she had ever led, and what she considered to be a well rounded group with Minsc and Jaheira providing the muscle, Valygar capable of supporting them on the frontlines, but otherwise sticking to scouting together with Yoshimo. Leah and Viconia would focus on healing and support of the frontline fighters, aided by Aerie when necessary, but otherwise the avariel was free to provide magical firepower together with Edwin... even if Leah was very doubtful about the Thayan being able to work alongside someone he considered so clearly inferior to himself... and at least as far as their magical arsenal was concerned, he was justified to do so.

"Valygar?" Leah turned to address the dark-skinned ranger next to her. "Please tell me that you know how to enter this... thing."

"Found the entrance last night," Lord Corthala replied, eyeing the crowd of arguing peasants and frowning deeply. "Not comfortable to enter with all those people watching, though. Word will spread to the Cowlies."

"We'll find a way to clear the street, then," Leah replied, already thinking of a solution on how to do that quickly. _Hmm, what do these slum dwellers of Athkatla fear the most... well, with their prejudice towards magic... maybe we could just ask our mages to cast something to scare them off?_ Leah turned to face a very intrigued, near-drooling Edwin, unable to take off his eyes from the sphere, as if he had found a new, wonderful toy to play with. _No, Edwin would just use fireball to get rid of all those poor people permanently... or cloudkill spell... I better ask Aerie for something tamer._ "Aerie, could I have a word with you, please?" she asked, beckoning the avariel aside and then discussing the details of the little trick that she was considering.

"Umm... alright, Leah..." Aerie frowned a little as she stepped away. "I do not necessarily like it, but... I'll do it."

"That's the spirit," Leah smiled at the avariel, then taking a step towards the bickering peasants and beckoning Aerie to follow her. "Everyone! Shut your mouths and listen up for a moment!" she called out imperiously, silencing the small crowd and forcing everyone to stare at her with their mouths agape. "Me and my group of friendly and well armed people have arrived to claim ownership of this sphere... and right now, you are intruding on our property! Clear this street immediately, or my pet mage," she pointed at the avariel, who much to her credit managed to appear more confident than usually, "will incinerate you all!" Leah gave the young elf a brief nod, after which Aerie let loose with the most visually impressive, and also most useless spell ever, a simple color spray, aiming it above the peasants, making sure not to hit anyone by accident.

With series of frightened screams at the colorful rainbows crashing over their heads, the panicking slum dwellers immediately ran off, leaving the street completely empty save for the eight adventurers standing outside the Planar Sphere. "I suppose we should use the moment and enter quickly," Leah said, looking at Valygar.

"This way," the ranger replied, starting to scale a pile of rubble from one of the buildings that had collapsed almost entirely when the sphere had sliced it in two. Leah was still busy climbing the debris by the time Valygar had reached the top, and she did not even see what the ranger did to open a gap in the smooth side of the wall, but when she looked upwards she saw Lord Corthala disappearing into a dark opening of the sphere, followed by Yoshimo and Jaheira. Only Edwin needed a little boost to climb the steep rubble, the haughty Red Wizard still muttering something under his nose about color spray and what sort of hedge wizards would even bother to memorize useless spells like that.

Once inside, the group of eight found themselves in a narrow access shaft, leading further into the sphere, and it was Valygar who led them onward, not stopping until they had reached several impressively crafted chambers, containing strange devices of odd workmanship that none of them recognized. Carefully, without touching anything, the group began to explore their strange surroundings, Leah jumping when suddenly a loud metallic bang startled them all.

"What was that?" Aerie asked nervously.

"Did someone touch one of the devices?" Leah demanded, feeling unsettled and nervous in this strange place.

"I do not think so," Jaheira replied. "Hmm… did anyone close the entrance into the sphere?"

"I'm not sure... who came in the last?" Yoshimo asked.

"I think it was Edwin," Viconia pointed at the red-robed mage.

"Why would I care about pointless menial tasks like closing an entrance? (Of course, none of these ignorant monkeys even bothered to check that there was no conventional door... or handle, for that matter)," Edwin huffed in reply.

"Well, whatever it was, the entrance is now closed, so the sound was probably from it sealing itself," Leah said, having checked the access shaft and finding it sinking in complete darkness. "Let's make sure to keep Valygar safe because he just might be our only ticket out of here."

"Hmm…" Leah caught Yoshimo frowning as he still watched the access shaft, eventually shaking his head and walking away, the young priestess making a mental note to ask the rogue about his concerns later, but for now they were facing a different kind of predicament, that of how to proceed further into the sphere.

"So... where to now?" Aerie broke the brief silence, everyone staring at the three round doors leading away from the entrance chamber.

"I don't think I can pick this lock, my friends," Yoshimo commented, having examined the central door. "It appears to require a specific key... or lever to open."

"Don't suppose it would just react to the Corthala blood and magically open by touch?" Leah suggested, looking at Valygar expectantly. The dark-skinned ranger shrugged and went over to try opening the entrance, but the door would not budge. "Oh well, no such luck," Leah grumbled.

"I can, however, handle this one," Yoshimo announced victoriously, leaning against the round door and it easily slid open now that the lock had been picked. The group of eight carefully advanced through the newly opened access shaft, which shortly led them into a small chamber, where an unexpected view opened to their eyes. The floor of the chamber was made out of solid glass and offered a wonderfully detailed bird's eye view of Athkatla, the sphere standing out in the middle of the map, like a magical beacon in the heart of the city.

"That is... beautiful," Leah whispered. "Hmm, but surely this can't be a view from a window? The sphere is buried in the rubble of crushed dwellings, not hovering up in the air above the city!"

"More foul magic, no doubt," Valygar snorted, ignoring the venomous look that Edwin sent his way.

"Well... be as it may, this isn't helping us to pass through the other door," Leah shrugged. "Let's backtrack and try the third entrance."

"Hmm, this one isn't even locked," Yoshimo remarked, having examined the door mechanism. "Let's see where it takes us..."

Moments later, the party arrived in a similar round chamber as the previous one, however, this room did not have a glass floor, but instead was sinking in darkness and appeared to be filled with junk, almost as if it had been turned into some kind of an impromptu warehouse. "There are no other exits that I can see," Jaheira said, her elven vision quickly adjusting to the darkness. "Let us hope that the lever we need is amongst this scrap..."

"Indeed, or else our journey into the Planar Sphere will prove embarrassingly short," Leah nodded. "And speaking of junk, there are plenty of crates to go through here," she added, reaching to open one of the containers and ending up bumping heads with Viconia, the Drow going for the same crate as Leah. The young Sorlyn chuckled with slight embarrassment, allowing Viconia to open the crate, then huddling closer to the Drow to take a good look at the contents of the container. Resting amongst all sorts of crap was only one interesting item of note, a large, shining slab of iron, but as Leah bent down to pick it up, it did not even budge from her pathetic effort to lift it. Only with Viconia coming to her aid, together they just about managed to pull it out of the crate and place it on the floor by their feet.

"Could this be the lever we seek?" the Sharran asked, short of breath.

Edwin stepped up and examined the large object at their feet, his lips twisting to form a sneer. "That is an arm of an iron golem, not a lever, you ignorant chimps. (Honestly, don't these people know anything about magical constructs?)"

"Right, so our effort to lift it was all for naught... figures," Leah grumbled, but her complaints were swiftly interrupted by a loud cry of warning.

"Minsc! Watch out!" Jaheira shouted, Leah looking up to see one of the large 'pillars' by the wall suddenly coming alive, stepping towards the Rashemi and aiming a massive overhead blow at Minsc. The large ranger managed to roll away only at the last moment, the heavy smash landing on the crate he had been searching through, sending splinters flying in every direction.

Minsc was back on his feet in an instant, withdrawing his sword and slashing it across the construct's broad shoulders, but it did not even leave a mark. "No effect?" the large Rashemi blinked. "Minsc needs a bigger sword!"

"It's a clay golem, Minsc!" Leah yelled, instantly recognizing the magical construct by its uneven, lumpy surface. In a matter of moments, everyone who had a spare blunt weapon made good use of it, Jaheira jumping into the fray wielding a spiked club, while Leah and Viconia cautiously approached the golem from its sides, maces at the ready. Yoshimo and Valygar were left unable to contribute, but Edwin surprised them all, summoning a handful of red glowing stones and then throwing the minute meteors at the golem, each of the projectiles that struck true taking out chunks of clay from the golem's towering frame.

As Minsc was still searching for something to attack the clay golem with, the three women were having a hard time trying to contain the clay monstrosity from running amok in the small, round chamber. Jaheira's shield had taken a few heavy blows and Leah knew that the half-elf had to be feeling the brunt of those hits, while she and Viconia simply lacked the physical strength to make much of a dent in the golem's side - they needed Minsc's aid, and they needed it now.

"Minsc!" Aerie cried out, alerting the large ranger. "Here! Take this!" With that, she threw her Staff of Thunder and Lightning over to Minsc, the Rashemi deftly catching it and then using the staff to deliver a massive blow to the back of the clay golem's tiny head. The magical construct staggered, nearly falling over from the force of the blow. Two more ferocious whacks with the staff followed, the final one shattering the golem's head and causing large cracks to open up across its torso. The blows delivered by Leah, Viconia and Jaheira now also seemed to have more effect, quickly reducing the golem to chunks of clay by their feet.

"Well... that was invigorating," Viconia remarked, smoothing back a stray lock of white hair and wiping a few beads of perspiration from her brow.

"I'll say..." Leah nodded with a smile, then looking at the avariel, receiving her staff back from Minsc. "Aerie, that was some quick thinking there. Well done!"

"Oh... thanks, Leah," Aerie smiled demurely.

"And would you look at that," Yoshimo chuckled, bending down to pick up something from the remains of the crate smashed by the clay golem. "This looks a lot like the lever that we require to proceed onwards. I suppose we should thank our helpful golem friend..."

"In the future, I think we will try to skip on this kind of assistance," Leah sighed as the group filed out of the chamber and returned to gather around the central door, hopefully leading further into the sphere. Yoshimo raised the thin golden bar, which seemed to vibrate softly in his hand when he slotted it into its place on the door and then pulled on the lever to open the door.

'YOU HAVE INITIATED PLANAR TRAVEL.' Dispassionate, cold metallic voice informed them.

"No I haven't!" Yoshimo protested fiercely.

'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MASTER HAS TURNED ON THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN. IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE STOW YOUR CARRY-OVER LUGGAGE UNDERNEATH THE SEAT IN FRONT OF YOU OR IN AN OVERHEAD BIN. PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT AND FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT.'

"What seat, there are no seats!" Leah blinked. "Or any overhead bins!"

'IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE ASSUME THE BRACING POSITION. LEAN FORWARD WITH YOUR HANDS ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD AND YOUR ELBOWS AGAINST YOUR THIGHS. ENSURE YOUR FEET ARE FLAT ON THE FLOOR.'

"All that sounds rather ominous," Viconia remarked, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "Perhaps we should reconsider this..."

'GUARDIAN GOLEMS, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS FOR TAKE-OFF. '

"I guess it's too late for that," Yoshimo gulped.

"Hey... now, wait a minute!" Leah cried, trying in vain to stop the already initiated travel sequence.

'PLANAR TRAVEL WILL COMMENCE IN FIFTEEN SECONDS. THE INNER DOOR WILL OPEN FOLLOWING THE PLANAR JUMP. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE SPHERE UNTIL THE MASTER ALLOWS IT.'

"Lavok..." Valygar hissed, his face contorted with fury. "We have stepped into one of his foul traps, no doubt!"

"Well, we did want to confront him, and this seems to be the only way, so-..." Leah began to speak, only to have her words cut off by the metallic voice once again.

'COMMENCING PLANAR TRAVEL.'

Moments later, the sphere was shaken by violent rumbling, lights going out all around them as everything sank into silence, Leah letting out a cry of surprise when she suddenly felt solid ground disappearing under her feet...


	32. Chapter 32

"Ooh... my head..." the blonde elf groaned, slowly getting back to her feet once the Planar Sphere had stopped its violent lurching and the lights had come back on. "What happened... is everyone alright?" Aerie asked cautiously, looking around. Somehow, they had ended up in one of the side chambers, the one with the glass floor showing a bird's eye view of Athkatla, but it did not seem as if all their companions were present, she could see Minsc groggily rising from the floor, as well as the olive-skinned Easterner rogue on the other side of the chamber, but nobody else was there save for them.

"Aye, but Minsc did not like that one bit, no sir," the Rashemi ranger frowned deeply, petting the affronted looking hamster, sitting on his palm. "Boo has proclaimed this to be the Sphere of Evil... which means that it is in need of righteous butt-kicking, except that neither Boo nor Minsc know how to find a sphere's backside..."

"I think an even better question, my large friend, would be to inquire as to where exactly have we ended up," Yoshimo spoke, already looking his normal composed self. "Look!" he exclaimed, pointing at the glass floor. "We are clearly no longer in Athkatla."

"But... where are we then?" Aerie asked, gasping slightly at the dreadful looking, distorted, demonic valley before their eyes. The landscape appeared malevolent, made of purest evil, sharp spikes jutting out from the rocky ground, hot streams of volcanic lava flowing through the valley and creating something out of the avariel's worst nightmares, the direct opposite of what she imagined Arvandor to look like.

"Boo is certain that wherever the Sphere of Evil has taken us, it is home to creatures most fearsome and foul," Minsc intoned gravely. "Just look at him, his fur is standing on its ends from this overwhelming wickedness!"

"That's just because you have been petting him against the grain again, Minsc," Yoshimo scowled, ignoring the frown Minsc sent him. "But yes, I would not recommend stepping outside the sphere for sightseeing... perhaps we can force it to take use elsewhere, because this looks like it could be one of the layers of the Abyss..."

"Abyss?" Aerie shuddered. "That is... not a place I had planned on visiting..."

"Worry not, little Aerie, Minsc and Boo will protect you like we protect all our friends," Minsc smiled at the distraught looking avariel. "Umm... but where are our other friends? Where is sweet little Leah? Uh... Minsc is not pleased with himself for having misplaced the others..."

"Well, we will surely not find them while standing around here," Yoshimo said as he walked down the corridor leading out to the central chamber. "A-ha!" the Kozakuran exclaimed, pointing at the doors supposedly leading further into the sphere. "Whatever we did must have opened these doors! Perhaps our friends have gone ahead to explore the sphere... or perhaps they are looking for us."

"Then we must follow them with all haste," Aerie said decisively, following Yoshimo through the now open doorway, Minsc bringing up the rear, carefully looking around for anything dangerous, laying in wait to pounce upon them.

While advancing through another narrow corridor, they could hear alarming commotion reaching them from up ahead, sounds of battle, the clanging of weapons and hissing noises that did not seem to be produced by anything human-like. "We should be very careful," Yoshimo warned, sneaking forth towards a heavy wooden door at the end of the hallway. "All manner of beasts could be waiting for us on the other side."

As Aerie nodded in approval of this more cautious approach, Minsc roared with excitement and rushed past them, brandishing the Sword of Chaos. "Follow Boo and I, friends!" he shouted, charging into the next room and into the thick of a battle. "Fellow brave heroes need our aid, no doubt!"

Aerie cried in dismay and Yoshimo covered his face with his palms at Minsc's unsubtle entrance, but the two battling factions in the room actually gave pause at this unexpected arrival, giving their group an opportunity to ascertain the situation. It appeared as if three human warriors wearing shiny plate armor were being accosted by a group of monstrous-looking fish people, wielding long, sharp spears and primitive crossbows. One of the humans was crouching on the ground, injured, while the other two stood over him protectively, looking ready to defend their comrade with their lives.

"Please, heroes!" one of the warriors called out to them in a melodic female voice. "Help us defeat these sahuagin!"

"Ah yes, the sahuagin, I have heard of them," Yoshimo remarked, quickly readying his bow and using Minsc's powerful frame as a shield, leaning out from the cover and sending an arrow into the head of one of the sahuagin crossbowmen, killing it instantly and resuming the now uneven battle. Within a minute, the hapless fish people lay dead at their feet, riddled with arrows, sliced into ribbons and lightly steamed by magic.

"Thank you, my friends," the woman approached them, sounding relieved. "My name is Reyna, and these are my fellow Knights of Solamnia, Ancan and Onvo." Her delicate face creased with worry as she looked back at one of the knights trying to coax his friend into drinking a healing potion, but most of it came back up almost immediately. "What is wrong with Ancan?" she asked desperately.

"I'm not sure..." the other knight replied, looking a little lost.

"Poison..." the injured man muttered, white as a sheet as he pointed at one of the sahuagin spears, dropped nearby.

Yoshimo immediately picked up the spear and examined the coating on the tip. "Aye, definitely poison, but nothing I am familiar with," he shrugged reluctantly. "These sea devils are a wicked sort."

"I... I have some skill as a healer," Aerie spoke up encouragingly. "I could try to heal your friend..."

"You can slow poison?" Reyna asked her impatiently, watching the avariel nod at her. "Well, why didn't you say so? Please, young woman, do what you can for our friend!"

Aerie quickly got down on her knees next to the wheezing Ancan and began to chant her spell to neutralize the effects of the poison, bright blue light washing over the man as she completed the complicated incantation. "How are you feeling?" the avariel asked, noticing that the man was still wincing a little.

"Better... much better... thank you, my Lady," the Solamnic Knight managed. "Still... I can feel the poison working through my body... I feel better, but I have not been cured completely..."

"I'm sorry..." Aerie sighed before brightening up a little bit. "My skill is not great, but perhaps one of our friends we came here with could be of more help!" Her face fell a little again as she remembered their current circumstances. "But... we somehow got separated... and I don't know where they are..."

"Boo says we must go on a quest to find little Leah and our other friends!" Minsc exclaimed joyously. "Perhaps we don't have to look so hard for the evil Red Wizard, though."

"Well, we would have to proceed onwards regardless," Yoshimo shrugged, looking at the dead sahuagin on the floor. "I don't want to be here when these corpses start to stink up the place."

"Uh..." Reyna let out an embarrassed cough at that, the Solamnic Knight's pale face flushing red with shame as everyone turned to look at her. "Actually... we never allow them to go bad... yes, this goes against everything we have been taught and everything we believe in, but when the alternative is to starve and die like so many of our friends already have..."

"Wait..." Aerie spoke up, looking slightly green in the face. "You mean... you eat the sahuagin?"

"I still don't see what's wrong with it," Onvo retorted, looking offended. "They're nothing more than animals, they're fish! What's wrong with consuming fish!"

"Don't even try to justify it, Onvo," Reyna barked at the other knight. "They are clearly sapient, they have language of their own, they even worship their own primitive gods by their crude altars... what we did was wrong, we all knew that, but... our only hope is that the gods will not judge us too harshly, for there was nothing else we could have done..."

"Didn't you have any provisions of your own?" Aerie asked. "Just how long have you been here in the Planar Sphere?"

"Whatever rations we had, ran out long time ago," Onvo shrugged, then helping the still weakened Ancan rise from the ground. "As for how long we have been here... well, just how do you expect us to tell the time?"

"Oh... umm..." Aerie hesitated, blushing deeply at her gaffe. "Sorry, I... hadn't considered that. I, uh... well... we have some rations with us... we could share them, if you would like us to..."

"Would we ever, young lady," Onvo rubbed his hands, licking his lips in anticipation. "I'll eat anything that doesn't taste of fungi or fish... it feels like those are the only two things we have eaten as of late."

"Thank you, my Lady," Ancan nodded gratefully, accepting a share of the iron rations that Aerie handed over to him. "This will sustain me for the time being... but still, the poison working through my body will paralyze and eventually kill me, so... while I don't want to rush anyone, perhaps after we have eaten, we could start looking for your friends..."

* * *

Jaheira opened her eyes slowly, allowing her elven vision to kick in and adjust to the darkness of the room she found herself in, following the powerful lurching that had seized the Planar Sphere. Some kind of complicated mechanical or magical device stood in front of her, but it was the massive and menacing figure towering over the apparatus that made Jaheira jump to her feet with a gasp and then take a couple of quick steps backwards in order to retreat. While trying to scamper away from what looked like another large golem, the druidess tripped and fell, landing on something soft and eliciting a surprised grunt.

"Ugh... while I understand the irresistible need to experience the attentions of a full-blooded Thayan male, especially for someone so deprived of a touch of a real man, your timing in choosing these romantic interludes leaves much to be desired. (In another time and another place... and with that insufferable woman gagged... yes, that merits a good, long consideration later...)" the snide voice of Edwin Odesseiron prompted Jaheira to bolt back to her feet, after she had accidentally fallen into the Red Wizard's lap.

"I will pretend I did not hear that," Jaheira shuddered, her eyes remaining on the golem, which fortunately seemed to be inactive. "I would rather mate with a snake than even consider you, Thayan."

"With your disposition, that could very well be your only option. (Gagged, definitely gagged. Or have her tongue removed. Still... often useful to possess a tongue during certain encounters,)" Edwin contemplated before summoning a pale mage light and illuminating the chamber they had ended up in. As soon as his eyes fell on the large machine and the golem connected to the various tubes of the device, the mage's eyes widened in wonder. "That is..." he began to speak excitedly, piping down when he noticed Jaheira giving him an odd stare. "That is most interesting, yes... yes, indeed..."

"I should not have expected any other reaction from you," the druidess grumbled, only then noticing someone else lying on the floor at the far side of the chamber, struggling to get up. Jaheira immediately approached to find Valygar, crouching on all fours, blood pouring from a shallow wound on his brow. "Are you alright, Valygar?" she asked, bending down next to the ranger. "Let me heal your wound... were you injured in the fall?" the druidess added before starting to cast a healing spell and mending the man's injured head.

"Don't remember," the dark-skinned ranger grunted as he got back up to his feet. "Ugh," he scowled as he cast his glance at Edwin examining the magical apparatus with the golem. "Where are the others?"

"I do not know and it worries me," Jaheira admitted. "We must have gotten separated as the sphere took off. I can only pray and hope that Leah and the others are safe."

"We should search for them," Valygar stated, looking at Edwin with a dark frown. "Wizard. I said we should look for our friends."

"Friends, what friends?" Edwin blinked. "Oh... those monkeys. Yes, feel free to look for them, just don't bother me. (Why do they insist on constantly interrupting me?)"

"This is why I hate magic," Valygar scowled. "Those obsessing with it will forsake everything in pursuit of more power... even their family and friends."

"What is the purpose of this device, Edwin?" Jaheira asked, finding herself in the unusual position of having to play the peacemaker between the ranger and the wizard.

"Ah, I'm glad you asked," Edwin replied proudly. "This is nothing else but a device that creates golems. (And what a marvelous device it is, I have dreamed to get my hands on something like this ever since my childhood.) By the way, there is no reason to fear the golem currently in the machine, it is incomplete and missing an arm and a head. (If only we had that golem arm we found earlier, then we could reactivate this exemplary specimen.)"

"Do you want to get us all killed, wizard?" Valygar barked angrily.

"He does have a name, Valygar," Jaheira pointed out, starting to feel more than a little frustrated by the ranger's attitude. "That said, I would be concerned about you reactivating that... monstrosity, Edwin. Are you certain you could control it?" she asked.

"How hard could that be?" Edwin shrugged confidently, but that confidence did not appear to carry over and reassure Jaheira and Valygar. "Bah, you of little faith. Fine, I will consult a manual... there must be one lying around, surely."

"Ha, as if," Valygar laughed, but then was forced to cut himself short when Edwin walked over to a nearby desk and picked up a heavy tome.

"There we go, a book on building golems, conveniently left behind for our perusal," Edwin grinned, starting to browse the yellowed pages. "Of course, this is all immaterial if we can't find the arm and the head that the golem is still missing."

"Hmm… what is that?" Jaheira suddenly asked, her elven vision picking out a large object lying on the ground in the corner where she had found the injured Valygar. "Is that... the golem arm?" she turned around to face the frowning ranger. "Your head... you were hit by the golem arm? Why did you not mention this?"

"Why would I?" Valygar hissed angrily. "I don't want him to build that monstrosity and kill us all with it, as he surely will."

"Actually... it appears that we will have to rebuild this golem if we want to progress any further into the Planar Sphere," Edwin said smugly, having studied the tome for a while. "This is no mere iron golem. This is a very specific guardian golem, created for the sole purpose of cleansing the sphere from various planar creatures."

"The planar travel initiation sequence mentioned guardian golems," Jaheira said thoughtfully.

"Good, at least you are still using your head for thinking, unlike our scowling mage-hating friend," Edwin chuckled. "If we can't find the original guardian golem head, perhaps he should donate his. He does not appear to be in need of it."

"One more insult, mage, and it will be your last," Valygar snapped angrily, backing off when Jaheira moved in between him and Edwin, the lithe half-elven woman appearing intimidating enough to force the ranger to relent.

"Will you shut up and help me carry that arm and place it inside the golem?" Jaheira barked, finally losing her patience with Valygar. If anything, she had expected Edwin to be the one to make her lose her cool, but somehow the ranger's blind hatred of magic was proving more irritating for her to deal with. "Or do I have to carry it all by myself?" she asked when Valygar made no move. Only after Jaheira had gone over to where the golem arm lay and began to struggle to pick it up, did Valygar finally move to offer his help to the druidess. Working together, they eventually managed to bring the arm over to the massive frame of the golem and fix it in its intended slot.

"So, now all we need to do is to find its head?" Jaheira asked, stepping back from the device that still made her a bit uncomfortable, even if she refused to show it.

"You make it sound so easy," Valygar frowned. "It could be anywhere in the sphere. Trying to find it is a fool's endeavor."

"We could look for it as we continue our search for our friends," Jaheira offered in a conciliatory way. "As long as the head is all that the golem needs."

"I'm afraid that it's not quite as easy, Jaheira," Edwin remarked, for once forgetting to add an insult. "After we have assembled the golem, it will still need to be powered up."

"And you don't know how to do that either," Valygar remarked, shaking his head.

"Those tubes stretch into the adjacent room," Jaheira mused, having observed the golem building machine some more. "Perhaps it draws its power from there?"

"Jaheira, I feel most disturbed for having to appreciate the lacking display of imbecility on your part," Edwin laughed. "But yes, the only logical course of action would be to begin our search in the next room."

"No doubt to find another foul magical device, capable of incinerating us all," Valygar muttered darkly.

"Or, you know, a furnace? (Though I suppose a barbarian like him would find furnaces evil as well,)" Edwin replied mockingly. "(Furnace of Evil. Hah, that is something the Rashemi would say.)"

Following some more bickering, the dysfunctional group of three proceeded to explore the adjacent chambers, their adventures meeting various interesting and dangerous challenges, first in the shape of a crazed group of four starved looking halflings as soon as they had entered a large room containing three impressive looking forges. One of the mad halflings succeeded at stabbing Edwin in a thigh while another managed to bite him in the shins before they were put down by Jaheira's scimitar and Valygar's twin swords. The forges appeared to be magical in nature and once they had powered them back up, a massive fire elemental emerged from one of the forges and managed to surprise Jaheira, forcing the druidess to involuntarily cry out as she suffered bad burns all over her torso, the creature of flames searing her brand new armor and turning it into a veritable grill. Since Edwin was unsuccessful at persuading the druidess to strip off her gear, he was forced to instead blast her with a cone of cold spell, after which the half-elf had needed to consume not one but two healing potions before being able to continue.

Lastly, it was Valygar's turn to suffer. As the stealthiest member of their little group, he was forced to assume the task of scouting ahead, but unfortunately Mielikki had not gifted him with the power to detect traps, leaving him to discover said traps by triggering them. He had managed to find two, both blasting him with powerful bolts of lightning, forcing him to return to Jaheira and ask for healing before being able to proceed onwards. They struck relative luck in the chamber past the forges, one that was filled with massive turning and spinning gears, mechanisms that reminded them of the insides of a giant clock. The most interesting part about this chamber, however, was the large humanoid head made from darkened iron, resting on top of a chest at the far side of the chamber... but unfortunately the room was also under the protection of two powerful stone golems, well capable of crashing their skulls with one impressive blow.

Not feeling confident about their chances when taking on the golems in a direct fight, Edwin came up with the idea to use tactics of distraction. Having extensively studied the Conjuration school of magic, the Red Wizard easily summoned a horde of various disposable creatures such as gnolls, goblins, and a pair of snarling dire wolves, sending them into the chamber and hoping that they would attract the attention of the golems. As the stone monstrosities proceeded to pound the summoned gnolls into a mush of blood, flesh and bone, Jaheira and Valygar snuck into the room and grabbed the heavy golem head, trying to carry it out of the chamber while the golems were occupied.

Unfortunately, they had greatly miscalculated the efficiency of the golems in relation to the durability of Edwin's summoned allies, because the last of dire wolves exploded in chunks of fur and bones while Valygar and Jaheira were still at least one third of the way from the exit of the chamber. What happened next was an impressive display of Valygar playing bait, the ranger gulping down a potion of speed and running around the confined space and dodging the golems like mad. Jaheira, unable to carry the head all by herself, quickly downed another potion, this one of giant's strength, allowing her to eventually pull the golem head out of the room and retreat to safety.

In the end, Valygar managed to escape from his predicament by spectacularly jumping through the legs of one of the golems. While the stone monstrosity bent down to check where its prey had disappeared to, the other golem crashed into its fellow, sending chunks of stone flying everywhere. As the golems proceeded to pound each other into particles of dust, Valygar stealthily retreated to where Jaheira and Edwin were waiting in safety, watching his dramatic display of athleticism with bated breath. Afterwards, while Jaheira was still under the effects of the strength-enhancing potion, returning the head to the golem building machine and inserting it in its place within the incomplete golem proved a trivial task.

"I'm still not in favor of activating this thing," Valygar said sternly, watching as Edwin fiddled with the levers and buttons on the machine control panel. "Are you sure you know what you are doing, wiz-... Edwin?"

"Of course... or would you rather prefer to fight creatures from other planes on your own?" Edwin scowled. "I could tell you stories of monsters so horrible that it would make your hair stand on its ends. (And I'm not even talking demons here... while summoning demons is undeniably exciting, they are fairly... bland, as far as extra-planar monstrosities are concerned!)"

"I think we would do well to conserve our strength by avoiding battles that are not necessarily ours to fight," Jaheira sighed, giving the mage a subtle nod to proceed.

"Thank you, Jaheira," Edwin responded with surprising amicability. "You are making a surprising amount of sense today," he added, pulling the largest of the levers and the machine immediately came to life, humming with electricity, sparks flying from between the various tubes that were plugged into the inactive golem. Jaheira and Valygar reverently took a few steps backwards, while Edwin continued to observe the display in silent awe… that is until Jaheira grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away from the machine as well. The simple act likely saved Edwin from getting stomped to death by the guardian golem because in less than a minute, the powerful construct jerked to life and stepped out of the golem building machine, ready to perform its duties.

"This servant detects an intruder! It must be destroyed," the guardian golem immediately announced.

"I knew you would get us all killed!" Valygar hissed, raising his weapons and preparing to defend himself against the guardian golem... which promptly ignored the three adventurers, ran past them and opened the eastern door leading out of the chamber, disappearing down yet another passageway.

"You can start apologizing now," Edwin pointed out smugly.

"You wish," Valygar smirked, shaking his head. "I'm sure you will be the cause of our downfall eventually... if not now, then later."

"Oh, give it a rest, please!" Jaheira snapped, looking deeply frustrated at them both. "Let us follow the golem and see where the path takes us. It should clear the passages ahead of us, at the very least."

"Aye... very well, Jaheira," Valygar nodded, offering a reconciliatory handshake to the Red Wizard. "I might have been a little harsh in my statements, Edwin. I hope we can move on from this with no hard feelings."

"Of course, my simian friend," Edwin replied with exaggerated politeness as they began to walk down the newly opened corridor. "And if you do not mind me asking... what are your plans for this sphere after we have wrestled its control from that ancestor of yours, Lavok?"

"Obviously, the only thing to do is to destroy it," Valygar replied, surging ahead and failing to notice the dangerous glint in the Red Wizard's eyes.

"Just the answer I was expecting," Edwin noted, muttering quietly to himself so that nobody could overhear him. "(But if the imbecile thinks that I will allow him to destroy something so precious and amazing, he is sorely mistaken. The sphere will become mine... even if I have to kill him for it...)"

* * *

Leah slowly came to, moaning lightly as she cradled her aching head, feeling as if she was swimming in a sea of pain. Her surroundings were spinning and refused to slow down before her eyes, so she retrieved a thin vial of blue liquid and quickly swallowed the contents of the healing potion, immediately forcing her headache to subside and allowing her to take a look around... and what she saw, disturbed the young priestess greatly.

She found herself in a cage no larger than two by two yards, floating close to the ceiling of a large chamber, suspended high above the ground by a sturdy rope. Leah could see several humanoid shapes lurching about below, but a soft groan coming from someone directly next to her immediately diverted her attention, making her realize that she was not the only one to be captured.

"Viconia!" she exclaimed in quiet surprise and worry, looking on as the dark elf stirred slowly, failing to get up. The reason for it quickly became apparent, a shallow wound on Viconia's temples, likely having been injured in the fall, smearing one side of the dark elf's face with blood, although to Leah it did not detract any of the Drow's attractiveness. _Why would I even think of that now?_ Leah mentally chided herself as she began to cast a healing spell, then grabbing her canteen of water and offering Viconia something to drink, once the Drow had regained consciousness and rewarded her with a grateful smile. "Better?" the young Sorlyn asked, retrieving a clean rag, dabbing it with water and proceeding to gently clean the bloody side of Viconia's face, the Drow reluctantly allowing the human to fuss over her.

"Yes... thank you, _abbil_ ," Viconia smiled, eventually rising up to sit in the small cage, looking down at the cave-like chamber. "Where have we ended up in?"

"Not sure, but I suppose we are still inside the Planar Sphere," Leah shrugged. "At first I thought that this cage was really high above the ground and those down there were humans, but now I think we are not quite as high up and those are actually halflings..."

"I may not know much about the customs of halflings, but..." Viconia spoke, watching the gathered group of little people, huddled over something and appearing very busy. "They don't seem like any halflings I have ever come across..."

"By the gods..." Leah gasped, going pale as she watched some of the halflings retreating and revealing that they had been feasting upon a corpse of something freshly killed, carrying with them chunky bits of meat and bone as they walked off, conversing with animalistic, guttural growls. "I... hope that's not someone we knew..."

"Indeed... and we are probably the next meal for this tribe of cannibalistic halflings," Viconia concluded sourly. "Our weapons appear to have been confiscated," she added, having checked her gear. "At least they have left us with our armor, though I question how helpful that will prove to be. It would appear that our only hope might lay in waiting for a rescue..."

"They will come," Leah stated confidently. "The others might lack the necessary focus, but Jaheira will pull them together and get them to come to our aid."

"Unless that's Jaheira down there, getting eaten by the feral halflings," Viconia remarked innocently, Leah going pale from the mere thought of her old friend getting devoured by the tiny cannibals.

"By Milil, don't say that!" she admonished the dark elf, forcefully dragging herself to the side of the cage and looking at the bloody, gruesome feast below. The halflings seemed to have just about finished their meal, one by one stepping away and revealing the half-eaten corpse, Leah wincing at the sight of what was left of the unfortunate victim, the sharply splintered bones of the ribcage jutting out from the ravaged mass of internal organs. "I don't think it's Jaheira... and I think I'm going to be sick..." she gasped, pulling away as she felt bile rising in her throat, nearly throwing up on the floor of the small cage, only just managing to restrain herself.

"Hmm… some of them appear to still be hungry," Viconia commented, watching as how small halflings groups of two or three down in the chamber appeared to be arguing, pointing at their cage, seemingly insisting that they should be eaten now instead of being left for another meal later. Fortunately, the majority was against this suggestion, and after a brief but violent fracas, the halflings dispersed, only a few staying behind, slouching around on what seemed like a lazy guard duty. "That was close... but we should be safe for now."

"But for how long?" Leah sighed, shaking her head. "I really hope that our friends show up soon..."

"Yes, for once I would be happy to see them all," Viconia nodded, settling in next to Leah, both women sitting side by side with their backs against the bars.

As the silence dragged and help failed to arrive, Leah's mood grew more and more gloomy, dark thoughts beginning to encroach upon the young priestess, carrying the weight of the world. She quietly hoped for the Drow to say something, anything, but a quick glance revealed downcast, concerned look on Viconia's face, the dark elf appeared to be struggling with her own burden of thoughts. "Nothing to do but wait," Leah eventually sighed, finding the silence unbearable. "Maybe... maybe you could just tell me something... about the Underdark?"

"I don't see why not," Viconia responded, summoning a small smile. "I began to tell you about my brother, did I not?" Leah nodded quickly, urging Viconia to go on. "To better understand how unusual our relationship was, you need to know more of what Drow families are like… because the relationships are nothing like amongst the surfacer families."

"Well... I didn't have a family as such, but back in Candlekeep I used to view Gorion as my father and Imoen as my younger sister," Leah recalled with a fond smile. "In time, I came to truly think of them as being related to by blood. I can already guess that Drow families are nowhere near that close, but do tell me more."

"You could not be more right," Viconia nodded before continuing. "Children are raised by the priestesses or matrons of the House... there is no affection or loyalty. All exist to serve Lolth. Even as one grows older, they are little more than chattel to the House and the greater glory of Lolth. I had fourteen sisters and each one was more of a danger and a rival then the next. Most of them perished young... many by my own hand. Fathers do not exist, as you know it. The males service the matron of the house when she wishes to conceive... or when she desires pleasure. Indeed, Drow males are educated in all forms of erotic pleasure. They exist to please women, and live or die at their whim. There are normally no _brothers_ , although some males are favored more than others. Most simply exist to serve Queen and House, but this is... not always the case."

"I'm guessing that your brother, Valas, was somehow different?" Leah asked quietly.

"Yes, Valas was an exception to the standard Drow male," Viconia sniffled a little as she spoke. "He was my childhood friend... and perhaps my only friend, after all is said. As a boy he would set cantrips about the royal hall, giggling hysterically when a hapless handmaiden would stumble on a colossal sulfur-stink glamer. As an adult, he was a useful wizard... and amused my mother enough that she did not sell him into slavery. He... watched over me and protected me, and I ensured that the worst of the abuses that befell males did not strike him. In the end... he saved my life. He... prevented my sacrifice and killed our mother, giving me the opportunity to flee."

"So it's not actually true when you say that you don't know or understand the affection in the relationships between surfacer siblings," Leah smiled softly. "What you shared with Valas seems as genuine and powerful as the bond that I have with Imoen. I would sacrifice my life to save her from certain death, and she would do the same for me. We are not that different, after all."

"If you say so, _abbil_ ," Viconia replied quietly, looking uncertain. "I am... not sure I would have sacrificed myself to save Valas, though. At least not then."

"What about now?" Leah asked.

"I... probably would... I don't know..." Viconia sighed deeply. "In any case... my brother is what finally made me break my faith fully from the Spider Queen. When he saved me from my sacrifice, it was the ultimate act of defiance for a Drow male, and Lolth did what she does to all males who defy her... she transformed him into a drider, a half-drow, half-spider creature of pure malice and base instinct. Valas was wiped away, replaced by this... monstrous thing."

"Oh... god," Leah gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around Viconia, pulling the Drow into a tight embrace. "That is... beyond horrible..."

"I cursed Lolth's name for what she had done to him. I renounced the Dark Queen with every fiber of my being... and she was not pleased," Viconia continued to explain; her body trembling with tiny shudders. "She abandoned me, left me completely without power. I had no brother, no power and House De Vir was, as far as I knew, falling. I was forced to flee the Underdark, making my way quickly to the surface before the other drow could stop me, cursing and crying the entire way."

"I'm glad that you managed to reach the surface safely... and I'm especially glad that our paths eventually crossed," Leah whispered, gently stroking the pale strands of Viconia's hair.

"As am I, my little _jalil_ ," Viconia replied, turning to face Leah. Slowly, they inched closer to each other until their lips met in a soft, soothing kiss that left them both breathless. "I refuse to allow us to meet our end in this grim place," the dark elf whispered gently. "But... if help does not come... and these feral halflings choose one of us to be their next meal... let it be me. I have suffered the tortures of Lolth's handmaiden's, I have endured the lashes of the tentacle rods... the pain that these disgusting creatures might inflict upon me would feel laughable in comparison."

"No… no, please, don't say that, don't even think about that," Leah begged the Drow. "I... I could not watch them do something so horrible to you... it would hurt me more than any physical pain I might have to endure. And I am no stranger to suffering either, you know what I had to suffer in the care of Irenicus..."

"Then let us pray that help arrives before we have to make that grim decision," Viconia spoke soothingly, wiping an errant tear away from Leah's cheek. "Should our path end here... what would you regret the most?"

"Failing Imoen, I think... yes, definitely that," Leah replied without a moment of thinking.

"Is that the only thing you would regret?" Viconia asked, her voice a little more sultry now. "I understand that there are things you have never experienced before in your short life..."

"I, umm... yes, I suppose I would regret that as well," Leah finally confessed, blushing deeply.

"You understand the point that I am attempting to make, don't you?" Viconia winked at her. "The life we lead is wrought with dangers, and anyone of us could die within a moment's notice. In these circumstances, why would you not try to live life to its fullest, to experience everything it has to offer, why would you deny yourself anything? I can sense the trembling desire and passion in your timid kisses, my little _jalil_... I can offer you pleasure you have only dreamed about... and yet you shy away from taking what is offered to you. If one of us were to perish here, would you not regret having explored what I am freely offering to you?"

"I... oh god..." Leah gasped, hesitating, feeling completely and utterly torn. "The thought of losing you is... unbearable, almost as unbearable as thinking of failing Imoen. I... I don't know how this came to be, Viconia, but... you are right, I am drawn to you, so very strongly, yet the power of it all frightens me, even though it should not, even though I should just surrender myself to these feelings. Yes, I admit it freely now… I want you, I want you so badly, and I should have never fought my feelings and my desires..."

"Well, at least you have come around, even if it might be a little too late," Viconia chuckled darkly, ignoring Leah's glare. "But promise me one thing, _abbil_."

"What's that?" Leah demanded.

"If we get out of this Planar Sphere alive... promise me that you will stop fighting your feelings, the passion and desire that I instill in you," the dark elf spoke teasingly.

"Well, it's not like I can deny it after just having blabbered to you about what my feelings for you are," Leah sighed. "But yes, very well, I promise... -hey, what are you doing?" she asked in surprise when Viconia immediately crawled away to the other side of the cage, intently watching the group of halflings below.

"What am I doing?" Viconia replied casually. "I'm getting us out of here alive, of course..."


	33. Chapter 33

"Viconia... what exactly are you planning?" Leah asked carefully, watching the drow's face tightening with concentration, preparing to cast a spell. "Blasting one of them with a flame strike isn't going to help us much, you know."

"Oh, I think I can do better than that, Leah," the dark-elf chuckled confidently, uttering a short, nearly silent prayer. At its conclusion, one of the feral halflings below them jerked as if struck by lightning and then looked up at them with an even more insane look in his eyes than before, picking up his tiny war axe and running off.

"That didn't seem to be particularly helpful, either," Leah grinned, but then her facial expression shifted to surprise when their cage shook violently. "Hey! What... what is he doing?" she exclaimed, noticing that the mad halfling was now using his war axe to chop at one of the thick ropes holding their cage suspended in the air.

"You really must make sure to memorize and practice the many uses of a charm person spell," Viconia winked at the other priestess. "It has gotten me out of many a tight spot."

"I just hope it doesn't get us killed..." Leah muttered, one of the ropes giving way, the cage dropping maybe half a yard before remaining suspended on the last rope.

"Make sure to hold on to the bars tightly and we should be alright," Viconia replied without a shadow of concern on her face.

"Gah... why didn't you just do this to begin with?" Leah griped loudly. "Not that I don't appreciate our heart-to-heart talks, but surely there would have been a better moment for it!"

"Let's just say that I saw the perfect opportunity to extract a certain promise from you," the drow laughed. "And no, you are not allowed to go back on it."

"Ugh... you tricked me!" Leah glared accusingly at the dark elf.

"And you loved every moment of it," Viconia winked at her. "Now brace yourself," she warned as the final rope came undone and the cage fell from the height of nearly three yards, making a gruesome squelching sound as it flattened one of the cannibalistic halflings and squished the legs of another one.

"Ouch... that really hurt!" Leah moaned, having banged her head against the heavy bars. Fortunately, the cage had broken and split open as a result of the fall, giving them the opportunity to crawl out and get to safety. The fall had also reopened Viconia's head wound and drops of blood were leaking down her left cheek, smearing the white locks of her hair, but the drow would not listen about taking a moment to heal the injury, knowing how little precious time they had to make their getaway before the halflings reacted to their escape.

"Wait!" Viconia shouted as they were closing down on one of the two exits from the cave-like chamber. "I think our weapons are in there!" she pointed at a pair of open chests by the wall of the chamber.

"Do we have the time?" Leah asked, uncertain, but the idea of losing her beautifully crafted scimitar seemed very unappealing, convincing the young Sorlyn to follow the drow as she made a beeline for the chests filled with equipment, probably salvaged from other unfortunate planar travelers whose journeys had ended in becoming the main course at a feast of feral halflings.

"Something tells me that we won't last long in this place without our weapons," Viconia said, perusing one of the chests, then pulling out her mace and tossing Leah's magical scimitar over to the girl. Meanwhile, Leah had succeeded at pulling their enchanted shields out of the other box and the two priestesses could now continue their escape fully equipped, both of them still wondering a little at the lack of response from their cannibalistic hosts... the reason for which became apparent as soon as they escaped the large cave-like hall and ended up in a wide corridor, currently the site of a ferocious battle.

Minsc was in the thick of the fiercest fighting, one overhead slash following another, using his steel boots of righteousness to kick hapless feral halflings left and right as sacks of turnips. Aerie was behind the Rashemi, carefully trying to support him with her magic, making sure to avoid getting accidentally impaled by the Sword of Chaos. Yoshimo was there as well, sticking to the shadows and unloading one precise arrow after another. Alongside three of their friends, however, fought two strangers, clad in full plate armor and wielding their swords with great control and precision of seasoned and well-trained adventurers. Another one of these knight look-alikes was lying prone on the ground, appearing lifeless, his two fellows trying to fend the little cannibals away from their fallen friend.

The battle was by all accounts already won even before Leah and Viconia struck the surprised halflings from behind. The crazed little folk had a pair of spellcasters with them, making life difficult for Minsc and the others, so the two priestesses sought to neutralize the most dangerous opponents first, Leah drawing on her divine magic to dispel the protective spells of their foes, moments later Viconia following with a silence chant that left the halfling spellcasters flapping their mouths like fish cast ashore. The remaining cannibals were cut down soon afterwards, the feral halflings too far gone to realize that fleeing was their only option of survival.

"We found you!" Aerie was the first to speak up, running towards Leah and hugging her. "Quickly, one of our new friends needs healing!"

"I'm afraid it's all too late for Ancan," one of the knights addressed them, a female with a rich, soothing voice. "His recent injuries together with the poison... it was too much and he has succumbed..."

"Another friend lost..." the other knight, a proud, broad-shouldered man, sighed as he bent down to sit by the side of his perished comrade. "Fare thee well, Ancan, Knight of the Rose. You will be missed."

"I am truly sorry about your friend," Leah spoke up, hating to interrupt, but the knowledge that out in the open they were not in safety prompted her to hurry. "These are sad circumstances under which to make your acquaintance, but... my name is Leah, and I am the leader of this ragtag bunch of adventurers, three of whom you have already encountered."

"Well met, Lady Leah, and we thank you for your sympathy," the man looked up at her, smiling warmly. "I am Onvo, Solamnic Knight of the Sword."

"And my name is Reyna, Knight of the-..." the woman began to speak, getting interrupted by Minsc, the large ranger raising his hand excitedly.

"Oh, oh, Boo knows this!" he exclaimed with a knowing nod of his head. "Boo says then you must be the Knight of the Sheath!"

"Err... uh..." Reyna blushed darkly, completely lost for words. "I, umm... actually, I am the... Solamnic Knight of the Shield..."

"Pleased to meet you, Reyna," Leah smiled at the female knight, trying not to giggle at Minsc's interruption, having to glare at both Yoshimo and Viconia who were openly laughing about the knight's embarrassment. "Also, we have just learned that Boo is a very, very naughty hamster..."

"Minsc is confused why little Leah would say something like that," Minsc appeared puzzled. "Boo is a well behaved hamster... are you not, Boo? Oh yes, of course you are!" the large ranger petted the blissful rodent, at the same time looking around the room for someone to challenge his opinion of the hamster's virtues.

"I certainly did not mean to upset Boo's feelings," Leah apologized with an inward sigh, her eyes roaming over the gathered group, her heart skipping a beat at the absence of one familiar face in particular. "Where is Jaheira, is she not with you?" the young priestess asked worriedly. "And what about the others? Valygar and… Edwin?"

"We have not seen our fair druidess, or any of our other friends ever since the sphere took off and the lights went out," Yoshimo spoke up. "Perhaps they have been transported to another part of the sphere?"

"Well, I would like to find them as quickly as possible, they might be in danger," Leah said, not feeling at all reassured. "I mean, Viconia and myself did not even know how we ended up captured by those feral halflings. We came to and found ourselves in a cage, ready to be served at the next mealtime."

"I'm... sure that Jaheira will keep the others safe," Aerie suggested timidly. "But yes... this place scares me... let's try and find them quickly."

"Hold on a moment," Viconia said, crouching on the ground and going through the belongings of the dead halflings. "Some of these pathetic _sakphul_ appear to be in possession of valuable magic items. Perhaps they once belonged to the victims of these cannibals... all the more reason not to let them go to waste," the dark elf said, removing exquisite looking gauntlets from the hands of one of the halflings. They were clearly oversized for the feral creature, but made a perfect fit for Viconia when she tried them on for size.

"I recognize those," Reyna spoke up suddenly, looking at the drow's new gauntlets. "They belonged to one of my friends who was... who was eaten by these little monsters." As a silent pause set in, Viconia appeared indecisive, glancing at Leah as if to wordlessly ask whether she was expected to return the gauntlets, but then the lady knight spoke up again. "Still, as you said, no reason to let something useful going to waste. Keep them, dear lady, I'm sure Ashnari would approve that her gauntlets were put to good use."

"Thank you," Viconia nodded, surprisingly politely. "I can sense powerful enchantment on these gloves... what is it?" she asked the Solamnic Knight, before adding. "Also, my name is Viconia de Vir."

"Well met, Viconia de Vir," Reyna smiled. "The gauntlets are very powerful, indeed. They will grant you the strength of an ogre while you are wearing them."

"That's an… amazing find... an amazing gift, to be more precise," Leah gasped, grinning broadly at the drow. "And one really expensive item off our shopping list! This is great news... but now I would very much like to go and search for Jaheira and Valygar..."

"We would accompany you, Leah, but... we cannot abandon our departed brother," Onvo said gravely, sitting by the still body of Ancan. "We can't leave him here to be eaten by these corrupted cannibals or other vultures."

"I understand that, but what can we do about the body here at the Planar Sphere?" Leah asked. "You can't exactly bury it in the ground. I don't think burning it would be wise, either."

"Actually..." Reyna spoke up, looking thoughtful. "There is a room ahead, filled with magical furnaces, large enough to accept the body of a man and powerful enough to incinerate him to ashes very swiftly."

"It sounds as if you have used this method in the past," Yoshimo remarked astutely.

"Aye," Onvo replied with sadness. "We entered the sphere as a group of eleven knights, sent by the king of Ansalon to explore this extraordinary creation of a demented mind and appraise the risks that it posed to the people of Ansalon. I suppose that we succeeded in our task, for the sphere took off upon our entry, meaning that it no longer threatened the people of our world... but alas, it took our group with it. The majority of our kin fell prey to the traps and ambushes placed by the feral halflings and were eaten alive. Some fell in battle, and we recovered their corpses to burn them in the furnaces, to prevent their defilement by the cannibals. I would like to do this one final favor for Ancan..."

"I understand completely," Leah nodded in sympathy. "We will assist you, of course. Minsc, please help the nice knight carry the body of his friend."

"Minsc and Boo stand ready to help other heroes in pursuit of honor and righteousness!" the large ranger saluted happily, coming to help Onvo and together the two of them easily picked up Ancan's battered frame and began to carry him, following Reyna, the female knight leading the way to the furnace room.

As the two Solamnic Knights tended to their grim funeral rites, Leah and her friends used the opportunity to examine the place in hopes to find some clues as to the whereabouts of Jaheira and the others. There were bodies of four dead halflings in the furnace room, and the adjacent hall featured a pair of destroyed stone golems, but there was no telling whether it was the handiwork of their friends. The curious chamber before the furnace room was occupied by some kind of large magical device that took up most of the chamber, but none of her friends could make any sense of its purpose. An unexplored exit led out of the device chamber, and Leah quickly decided to lead her group that way, Yoshimo scouting ahead and reporting that someone had already disabled all the traps ahead of them... the hard way, as the fireball scorch marks on the walls clearly indicated.

The Planar Sphere was truly a wondrous creation of a demented and over-imaginative mind. Leah continued to silently guess in what sort of chamber they would end up next, never hitting anywhere close to the mark with her predictions. The next hall they entered was larger than any of the previous ones, the magic prevalent in everything within the sphere appearing especially palpable here, a large obsidian sphere floating in the middle of an otherwise empty space, encircled by large symbols on the floor, composed from some kind of ancient arcane text. The room had two exits, but when Yoshimo went to examine one of the doorways, he soon returned looking flabbergasted and reporting that the door simply did not have any lock for him to pick. Since the other exit loomed wide open, the decision of which path to take was already made up for Leah and her friends, the group traversing yet another narrow passage to arrive in an even stranger chamber than the previous one. This part of the sphere had a sense of incompleteness about it, the floor of the entire room covered with gravel and the stone walls uneven, it seemed as if someone had simply dumped spare construction materials, leftovers from the creation of the sphere, in this chamber. But the most surprising feature in this hall was the massive golem standing passively over the squished carcass of a dead beholder and the three well-armed adventurers arguing passionately in front of the silently observing guardian golem.

"You had no way of knowing that golem would not turn on us, wizard," Valygar was busy shouting at Edwin. "And who knows, it still might!"

"Oh, and what leads you to that conclusion, pray tell?" Edwin replied challengingly, crossing his arms on his chest. "Or would you have preferred to fight that," he pointed at the dead beholder, "with your puny swords? (Just as I expected, the imbecile would not even appreciate me saving their pathetic lives.)"

"It would not have been my first time fighting a beholder," Valygar retorted. "I do not need assistance from your foul magic."

"First of all, that," Edwin nodded at the dead creature, smug grin on his lips, "is not a beholder, that is an elder orb, an ancient, extremely cunning and powerful beholder-kin. (Bah, I really should have allowed the buffoon to rush ahead of the golem and try to take on the elder orb by himself. A petrified ranger would have made a nice lawn ornament.)"

"Will you two just shut up and stay silent?" Jaheira barked, stepping in between the two, trying to keep peace. "By Silvanus, I swear this arguing is starting to give me a headache!"

"So... is this a bad moment to interrupt?" Leah spoke up to alert the bickering trio, grinning broadly as they all turned to look at her, appearing a little sheepish at their behavior.

"Leah! Thank Silvanus, you are alive and well," Jaheira gasped, quickly approaching the young priestess and embracing her. "You must save me from those two," she whispered in Leah's ear, sounding a little desperate. "I thought that nobody could irritate me as much as Edwin does, but somehow... I have almost been tempted to take his side against Valygar..."

"Not to worry," Leah continued to smile as she spoke. "Now that we're all back together, we can stop arguing and focus on what we came here to do... which is to find Lavok. I don't suppose you have encountered him yet?"

"Afraid not," Valygar grunted, looking a little embarrassed at the implication that he had forgotten their overreaching goal because of his continuous little spats with Edwin.

"So let us turn our attention back to finding Lavok," Leah ordered. "He is also probably our only ticket back home to Faerun, so we need to work together as a team. Oh, and one more thing," she stepped aside and nodded at the two knights, newcomers to their ranks. "These are Reyna and Onvo, Solamnic Knights from Ansalon... yes, don't ask me where that is, but that's not the important part. What matters is that they are good folk, willing to aid us."

"We share a common goal, I feel," Reyna said, having exchanged greetings with Jaheira and the two others. "If the sphere can return you home, perhaps it can also take us back to Ansalon."

"You have spent some time in the sphere, I take it," Valygar addressed the two knights, both Reyna and Onvo nodding. "But you have never encountered Lavok during your stay here?"

"No, this is the first time I hear the name of Lavok," Onvo replied with a shrug. "But we never did make it to this part of the sphere because we could never get past the magically sealed doors that you somehow managed to open."

"All thanks to my shiny metallic friend," Edwin grinned proudly, gently patting the thigh of the massive guardian golem.

"Alright, let's not get distracted now," Leah spoke up, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Unless my eyes deceive me, this room has only one exit we can explore. Yoshimo, Valygar," she looked at the two leather-clad men. "I want you to scout ahead and report your findings. I'm sick and tired of getting surprised by this Sphere of Madness."

The group of eight waited patiently for a few minutes until Yoshimo and Valygar reappeared again, the dark-skinned ranger for some reason looking unnaturally pale. "We saw... I suppose you could call it a man," Yoshimo explained since Valygar currently appeared incapable of speaking. "Though he looked more like a mummy in mage robes..."

"Was it Lavok?" Leah asked impatiently, facing Valygar.

"I... don't know," the ranger managed. "Perhaps. I have never seen my ancestor in the flesh..."

"He might have turned himself into a lich. (Which would explain his unnaturally long lifespan, obviously,)" Edwin suggested.

"No, I am quite sure the man was not undead," Valygar shook his head.

"The chamber ahead looked like some sort of control room," Yoshimo added. "Lavok, if it was indeed him, appeared busy with some kind of device with many levers and buttons... I think we have an opportunity to take him by surprise."

"Right, let's not waste any more time then," Leah spoke up. "I don't want a big melee pile-up on Lavok, he seems to be a wizard worth his salt… so if we all just rush in, it's going to give him a lot of targets to hit at once. We'll have Minsc, Reyna and Onvo charge the wizard after we have given them all the protection from magic that we have."

"That seems like a sound plan, Lady Leah," Reyna nodded approvingly.

"Jaheira, I want you to fall back with the rest of us and just use your druidic magic as you see fit," Leah continued, the druidess nodding without a word. "Valygar, you have a bow and I hope it means you're handy with it, because you're going to be staying at range." The ranger simply shrugged apathetically. "Yoshimo, how spacious is the chamber ahead?"

"Plenty of space for us to split up," the rogue replied, quickly sensing her train of thought.

"Excellent, so let's spread out and make it that much harder for him to blast us all to kingdom come," Leah grinned. "Edwin, Viconia and myself will go left from the entrance, Jaheira, Aerie and Yoshimo, you head right, Valygar, you cover the warriors as they charge in. Everyone clear with the plan? Then let's move out!" Leah exclaimed, having received acknowledgment from the group.

The plan appeared to be working well at first. They all managed to enter the control chamber and spread out without Lavok even noticing them. However, when Minsc and the two knights began to close in on the gaunt, pale-faced mage in a deep green tattered robe, a steady voice rang out across the chamber, startling them all. "Lavok!" Valygar yelled, making the ancient wizard's head snap up as he turned towards them, grimace of anger on his wrinkly, mummy-like face.

"You are the ones who caused the sphere to travel again!" he spoke in a coarse, otherworldly voice, immediately wrapping himself in layers of protective magic, mirror images appearing and hiding the true Lavok from them. "You will die, mortals, for ruining my escape! You and your kind have stood in my way for too long!"

"You will not pass!" Valygar shouted, unleashing an arrow from his bow that struck one of the mirror images. "I shall fulfill my family's vow and end your hideous life once and for all!"

"I am not the one you seek, foolish mortal... this is merely the wizard's body," 'Lavok' replied, casually blasting the approaching warriors with a horrid wilting spell, making both Reyna and Onvo stumble, only Minsc carrying on with the charge and appearing unaffected. "Your intrusion has caused the sphere to leap back to my own dimension! I have been denied the material plane! I will have my revenge!" the wizard yelled as the battle broke out in earnest.

In the aftermath of the lengthy and taxing encounter, Leah was extremely glad for having a group of ten at her disposal, and even such force had barely sufficed to secure a victory, Lavok's supply of spells nearly endless and inexhaustible, one contingency piled on top of another. Whenever they had destroyed one simulacrum, another one had popped in its place, helping the true 'Lavok' to continue blasting them with one powerful spell after another. If not for having four healers in the group, Leah was certain that someone would have bled out in the aftermath of the battle, and even then it was a close call for some of them, the warriors in particular suffering terrible injuries. In the end, Lavok was finally brought down, but everyone in Leah's group had suffered one injury or another, Minsc, Reyna and Onvo requiring an extensive amount of healing and recovery.

Much to the surprise of them all, their foe had also somehow survived the beating they had unleashed upon him, the old wizard weakly stirring on the ground, trying to crawl away when he spotted Valygar approaching him with his sword raised. "Where... where am I?" the ancient necromancer managed, his voice sounding completely different than earlier. "The... the force that possessed me... is gone?"

"Nice try," Valygar snarled, limping over to his fallen ancestor with his sword at the ready. "You will say anything to get yourself out of this, won't you?"

"Valygar, wait!" Leah shouted at the ranger. "Don't you remember what he said before he attacked us?"

"Some manner of trick, no doubt," Valygar was not deterred. "I am your descendant, Lavok," he addressed the old mage again. "I am Valygar Corthala, and you will not take my body to extend your life. Prepare to die!"

"Wait... wait, please!" Lavok raised his bony hand, making Valygar hesitate, if only briefly. "Corthala... yes... my family, I remember now. Oh, I am dying, Valygar Corthala, of that you can be certain. Nothing would bring me greater relief..."

"Are you trying to fool us, necromancer?" Valygar barked.

"I am not trying to fool you, youngling," Lavok replied weakly. "I have been trapped in my own mind by that strange force for half an eternity. Death would be a blessing... I have spent half an eternity keeping that force from prying the secrets of the sphere from my mind. I could not unleash it upon... my home. Thank you for ending its existence."

"Why, then, did you attempt to stop me from killing you, if all you desire is death?" Valygar challenged.

"Because I would ask one last thing of you, Valygar Corthala, although I know you have no reason to grant it to me," Lavok replied quietly. "I am dying... and I would wish to see my homeworld one final time. To be at peace, knowing that I have died in the place I was born so long ago, under my own sun. In return, I will reveal the secret of how to make the sphere travel through the planes back to our world."

"We accept your offer, Lavok," the words did not come from Valygar's mouth, however, but rather from Edwin's, the Red Wizard listening in to their conversation with a very interested expression on his face. "(I must learn as much as I can about this wondrous creation... I wonder if I could recreate something so impressive!)"

"Uh, not that it is your call to make, Edwin, but we do need to get back to our own plane, so... we're kind of forced to go along with Lavok's offer," Leah said, glancing at the powerless mage, lying defeated at their feet.

"I thank you... you will not regret your decision..." the old wizard wheezed weakly. "Listen up now... and I will explain what you must do... I will tell you the big secret behind the power source of the Planar Sphere..."

* * *

"What do you mean, you let her go?" the elderly gray-haired human appeared incensed, having listened to the report delivered to him by one of their field operatives. "You had clear instructions, Reviane! Not to mention the demands of the Harper Code..."

"I... I'm sorry, Dermin, but... I maintain that there is a great deal we don't know about what happened at the Harper Hold," Reviane argued. "Jaheira insists that she acted in self-defense, and without witnesses, how can we simply dismiss the allegations of someone like her, with spotless reputation amongst the Harpers?"

"So she does not deny killing Galvarey?" Dermin challenged, narrowing his eyes at the elven operative. "That had to be taken as a clear admission of guilt, my dear Reviane."

"So nothing about this seems strange to you, Dermin?" Reviane retorted, snorting when the older Harper shook his head, the greasy gray ponytail bouncing around on his back. "I can't believe this... you were Jaheira's tutor! How can you believe so readily that she would do something like this! And the lack of witnesses... how is it possible that nobody has seen or heard anything? I cannot track down anyone from the Harpers stationed in Athkatla... and Meronia, I understand that she summoned Jaheira to the Harper Hold to meet with Galvarey. She was not amongst the dead, yet she is nowhere to be found… and I would dearly love to hear her testimony!"

"What are you saying, Reviane?" Dermin asked, now assuming calmer, more controlled appearance. "It seems as if you have a theory of your own."

"I... don't know what to think just yet," Reviane shrugged helplessly. "The whole story just... doesn't ring true to me. We need to find Meronia and have a chat with her. I feel that her account of the events could be crucial." The elven warrior paused, thinking for a moment before giving Dermin a firm stare. "Are you sure you don't know where to look for her?"

"How would I know that, my dear Reviane?" Dermin replied, shrugging helplessly.

"Well... you do tend to keep track of the movements of our Amnish agents," Reviane said.

"As far as I know, Meronia does not have any outstanding assignment, so she could be anywhere," Dermin elaborated with a reassuring smile. "So... what are you going to do now, Reviane?"

"I don't know... to be honest, I feel a little lost," Reviane admitted. "I probably should travel to Berdusk and report my findings... and my suspicions, to the other Masters. At the same time, I feel that I should remain here and continue looking for Meronia. Her absence is most suspicious, considering everything that Jaheira told me."

"Hmm…" Dermin grumbled, looking at her apologetically. "Well, I'm truly sorry you feel that way, dear Reviane."

"What? Why do you say that?" Reviane looked at the older human curiously, completely missing the sound of soft footsteps behind her back. The next thing she knew, a thin steel wire was biting hard into the soft skin of her neck, choking her. Reviane struggled to slip her fingers between her skin and the sharp edge of the garrote, but with the wire already cutting deep into her flesh, her efforts were proving fruitless, the elven warrior letting out abrupt gurgling noises as she struggled for breath in the tight grip of the assassin.

"Once again, I truly apologize, Reviane. This is not how I envisioned it playing out... but you should have done as you were told and everything would have worked out well," Dermin spoke softly, retrieving a long, thin dagger and without hesitation plunged it into Reviane's chest, killing the elven woman instantly. "Oh, and look... I found Meronia," Dermin grinned as he looked at the assassin behind Reviane's limp frame. "What a coincidence..."

"Coincidence, indeed," Meronia laughed, removing the garrote and allowing the dead body to slump on the floor, blood pooling quickly under Reviane's corpse, the two treacherous Harpers stepping away in order to avoid their boots becoming stained. "I told you that this plan of yours was never going to work, Dermin," the elven bard admonished her human partner in crime. "Next time you should just listen to me before you endanger us all with your... bright ideas..."

"Yes... I confess, I underestimated Reviane..." Dermin admitted sourly. "But we can still salvage this, my lovely Meronia." The bard looked up to him questioningly, prompting him to explain. "Jaheira's strength lies in the group she travels with. In order to deal with her, we must simply lure her away. Divide and conquer, my dear... divide and conquer..."


	34. Chapter 34

Nothing about the Planar Sphere seemed to surprise Leah of Candlekeep anymore. To discover that it drew its power from hearts of powerful demons, enabling its ability to jump from one plane of another, might have sounded shocking to her before, but having seen so many strange and disturbing things while in the sphere already, she simply turned around to ask Lavok where should they look for demons and how many hearts the sphere required. The sphere had taken them back to the home plane of the demonic essence possessing Lavok, so at least they had a wide array of demons to choose from. The downside was that demons were... well, incredibly dangerous, and naturally opposed to surrendering their hearts, or any other body parts.

At least the engine of the sphere required only a single demon heart, however, Edwin immediately interceded and asked that they would fetch as many hearts as they could, simply on the account that only Lavok knew exactly how to operate the engine of the sphere, and since he was unable to go to the engine room himself, mistakes could be made, requiring them to use a replacement heart. Leah could not refute the wizard's logic, much as she disliked the taxing requirement. And it was not as if they could harvest the hearts of imps or quasits, no, it had to be none other than the powerful tanar'ri. It was no surprise that Edwin wormed his way out of the actual demon slaying, claiming that he had to stay behind in the sphere and learn how to operate its control station, just in case Lavok expired before they had managed to return home to Faerun.

Once again, Leah was unable to find any gaps in the Red Wizard's reasoning, having to eventually agree with his suggestion. Deep inside, however, she felt a little concerned at how Edwin was acting. Certainly, the wizard had always behaved like a kid in a confectionary store whenever they had encountered something that involved mysterious arcane objects, so Leah had expected him to show interest in how the sphere operated, but she felt that there was something even more than that in Edwin's poorly disguised obsession with the sphere. Leah also wondered what would happen with the sphere once they had returned to Athkatla and Lavok had met his fate under his own sun. If Valygar insisted on the sphere being destroyed, Leah could already see that the tensions between the ranger and the Red Wizard could spill over to violence.

Still, she did not possess the time to think about such uncertain future just yet, especially not during their adventures on the abyssal plane. Leah was glad to eventually be done with their demon hunting, for she had hardly seen a more disturbing and depressing place than this home realm of the demons. The respite they had taken after the monumental battle with the possessed Lavok had not been sufficiently long, and slaying the numerous demons of the abyssal plane proved a heavy burden on their already waning reserves of strength, threatening to push them past the limits of their endurance. Lavok had explained that its own dangerous guardians protected the engine room of the sphere; Leah hoped that for their own sake they would be able to deal with these guardians swiftly. They needed to end this venture swiftly, the longer they took, the more their growing exhaustion made each subsequent encounter that much more dangerous.

Leah was grateful that at least she did not have to carry the demon hearts. She had taken the heart of the first slain tanar'ri from Valygar, a heavy, wet and still beating, mushy, fleshy bag of vileness, feeling disturbed from the mere touch. Fortunately, Minsc did not hesitate to relieve her from the gruesome burden, eventually presenting the three demon hearts to Lavok and Edwin once they had returned to the sphere, happy to take another short breather while listening to Lavok's instructions on just how to reactivate the sphere and initiate another planar jump. Leah's distracted and tired nodding along with what Lavok was telling them did not seem to convince Edwin, the Red Wizard insisting on coming along to the engine room to make sure that the demon heart was properly inserted in the sphere's control golem.

Having rested up and chewed on some tasteless iron rations, the large group of ten backtracked to the massive empty chamber with the floating obsidian sphere and the arcane runes engraved on the floor. To save time, Lavok had advised them on how to activate the runes in order to open the passage down to the engine room, but Leah was surprised to see that the recently sealed door with no lock or knob on it was looming wide open.

"Eh?" the young priestess blinked, scratching her head. "Was it already open when we returned from the abyssal plane?"

"I am... unsure," Jaheira confessed helplessly, the others around her shrugging as well. "I suspect we were too tired and unfocused to pay any attention to that doorway."

"I think it was open," Reyna, the Solamnic Knight, spoke up, but she did not appear entirely convinced either. "Or at least I think so..."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter," Leah shrugged. "I don't imagine that Lavok would have made it possible for those engine guardians to escape, so the door was probably opened by someone entering rather than leaving the engine room... the question is... who were they?"

"Hmm…" Yoshimo rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "I think I can smell a rat..."

"A cowl-wearing rat?" Viconia chuckled, flashing a grin at the rogue.

"Precisely," the Kara-Turan nodded swiftly.

"What are you talking about?" Leah asked, feeling a little out of the loop and confused. "Are you accusing Edwin of something?" The Thayan appeared outraged at the implication, glaring fiercely at Yoshimo and looking ready to blast the rogue to smithereens.

"I don't mean our friendly rat-in-a-cowl, Leah," Yoshimo explained, ignoring Edwin's wilting glare. "After we had entered the sphere, I developed this... feeling as if someone had followed us inside. They must have been hiding under invisibility and non-detection spells, however."

"Cowled Wizards!" Leah exclaimed, instantly realizing what Yoshimo was getting at. "It's probably that backstabbing sneak Tolgerias!"

"The wizards have followed us here?" Valygar looked furious at the news. "I say this is perfect. They will meet their doom here, then."

"Leah... it had to be mages who solved the riddle of the arcane runes and opened the sealed door," Aerie pointed out cleverly, lending another supportive argument to Yoshimo's assumption that the sphere had been invaded by the agents of the Cowled Wizards.

"Very well, it seems we all agree that the Cowled Ones have followed us inside, but it changes nothing, we still need to get to the engine room," Leah raised her voice to silence the chatter that had broken out amongst the group. "Their presence simply means that we must be doubly careful. Yoshimo, Valygar... you know what to do. The rest of us will remain here and wait. Silently," she added, looking at Minsc who was currently trying to explain the finer details of planar travel to a rather dumbfounded looking pair of Solamnic Knights.

"It's our friend, Tolgerias, alright," Yoshimo reemerged to report less than a minute later. "With three younger looking mages. Probably his apprentices."

"I say we cut them down where they stand," Valygar grunted.

"What are they doing down there?" Leah asked impatiently.

"Just walking around, marveling at the craftsmanship of the sphere… the apprentices are all taking notes," Yoshimo explained. "Cataloguing things... it's as if they feel completely unthreatened."

"That should make things a fair bit easier," Leah said hopefully, although she really was not eager to fight another powerful wizard so soon after the possessed Lavok, a battle from which they had not completely recovered. "Perhaps we can pounce upon them while they are distracted..."

"I may have a better plan, Leah, if you are willing to consider it," Jaheira suggested, doing so unusually politely.

"I'm willing to consider just about everything at this point," Leah shrugged, urging the druidess to explain.

"This Tolgerias struck me as a mouthy type," Jaheira said thoughtfully. "Do you think you could keep him talking for at least a minute? I will not need more than that..."

"Oh... I think I know what you mean..." Leah's lips twisted in a knowing grin, the young priestess rubbing her hands excitedly. "And sure, I can keep him yapping, as long as Edwin or Valygar do not interfere..."

"I will remain out of sight, Leah," Valygar agreed easily enough.

"I resent the dismissive insinuation regarding my fine application of the art of Thayan Diplomacy," Edwin huffed, pretending to look insulted. "In any case, these are not circumstances that require many words. (A juicy fireball up his face should suffice... or perhaps a Finger of Death spell. Talk about Tolgerias getting fingered... hah! (Ach, I really should not be as crass as a common guttersnipe!))"

"Just... just don't do anything at all... I promise you'll be able to fireball Tolgerias to your heart's content after I've had a brief chat with the man," Leah sighed, glaring at Edwin until the sulking mage finally nodded in understanding. "Right, it seems we are all ready... let's go have a chat with our favorite Cowled Wizard..."

The large group of ten well armed adventurers swiftly entered the next chamber, but the mages currently examining some of the sphere's engineering did not even notice them until they had already managed to spread throughout the hall, making sure not to stand in one big clump at the entrance. "Uh... Master?" one of the apprentices facing the arrivals with a worried stare spoke to Tolgerias, eventually having to pull on the older wizard's sleeve in order to get his attention.

"Ah... at long last, our traitorous friends arrive," the arrogant old coot turned around to face them with a grand, imperious wave of his hand. "Fool girl, did you believe that you could betray the Cowled Wizards and live to tell the tale? But in the end, you have served our needs just the same, opening the entrance and forging the path for us... but now you have outlived your usefulness, and so we can simply discard you."

"Are you sure that it's all quite so simple?" Leah spoke up quickly, sensing that Tolgerias was eager to blast them with his undoubtedly impressive array of magic. "I don't think that you have considered some issues where our aid might be necessary."

"Issues such as?" Tolgerias hesitated, giving her a suspicious evil eye.

"Well, I'm sure that a wise wizard like you would have noticed that we have traveled to some distant abyssal plane," Leah continued, with a corner of her eye watching Jaheira starting to murmur the quiet chant of her spell, standing behind Minsc's broad frame, out of sight. "Have you asked yourself how you will return to Athkatla?"

"A wise wizard such as myself will have no difficulties in understanding the intricacies of this magnificent sphere and how to control it," Tolgerias declared proudly. "If a mere hedge mage of the Corthala family could create this wonder, I should have no trouble comprehending its workings."

"You seem to be having difficulties comprehending simple piping," Leah pointed out with a sarcastic smirk, noticing that Jaheira was almost done with her spell, which meant that Leah no longer had to toy with Tolgerias to keep him distracted.

"You should watch your slanderous tongue, harlot, or I shall remove it for you!" Tolgerias barked, drawing himself up proudly, at first not noticing the effects of Jaheira's completed spell, insects beginning to emerge from every crack in the floor, wall and ceiling, buzzing black clumps forming and beginning to swarm around Tolgerias and his lackeys, ignoring Leah and her companions, Jaheira standing still and focusing, guiding the mass of insects at the hostile Cowled Wizards. The swarm fell upon the hapless foursome, the Cowled Ones desperately trying to fight off the buzzing gnats, but to no avail, the insects crawling under their robes and starting to bite them remorselessly, eliciting the first cries of pain, the younger apprentices starting to run around the room in panic.

"Aaaaaah! Nooooooo!" Tolgerias screamed, waving his hands frantically, trying to chase off the swarm, a doomed effort that only enraged the insects even more. "Not the bees! Not the bees!" he cried, dropping on the floor and starting to roll around as if he had been set on fire.

"Boo says the evil wizard is losing his shit," the Rashemi ranger stated, his sword at the ready. "Minsc is confused... but Minsc still knows one thing for certain - it's butt-kicking time!" he bellowed, leaping into the fray and swinging his sword with reckless abandon.

Panicking and being driven mad by swarms of biting insects, unable to cast any of their powerful spells, the four cloth-wearing mages were no match for ten seasoned warriors. The battle was over in seconds; perhaps the shortest and most one-sided fight in Leah's adventuring career. Looking at the stung, bloated, sliced and eviscerated corpses, and watching the clouds of summoned insects beginning to dissipate, Leah felt especially glad that Jaheira was on their side, and that they had not come across any hostile druids with intentions to use this unusual and cruel spell upon her group.

With Tolgerias and his goony apprentices out of the way, Leah and her friends were free to continue on their journey. After traversing several more chambers filled with more or less bothersome guardians of the sphere, the group of ten arrived at what seemed to be the very heart powering the magical construction. Narrow and rickety metal walkways stretched across dark and oily water underneath them, towards the center of the chamber, where a massive, fleshy and pulsating... blob was spread out in a shallow pool, connected with all manner of tubes and wires.

"So... when Lavok mentioned the golem at the heart of the sphere... I was thinking of something like a big friendly iron golem," Leah mused, staring at the disturbingly writhing mass in front of them. "This... isn't what I would call a golem..."

"A golem is an inanimate matter given life," Edwin explained, sounding impatient. "This inanimate matter could be anything, such as this blob of flesh. So yes, for all effects and purposes, this would count as a golem. (But if you are looking to meet a more common representatives of golem-kind, two of them are currently racing towards us with their fists raised.)"

"What? Oh... crap!" Leah swore, looking up only to see a pair of stone golems charging towards them, dangerously rocking the rickety metal bridge with their thundering steps. Reyna and Onvo stepped in to halt the charge of one of the golems, but the other ignored them and went straight for the defenseless Leah. The massive overhead swing would have cut her adventures short there and then, if not for Jaheira and Viconia, both simultaneously raising their shields above the covering Sorlyn, absorbing the terrible blow. The druidess and the drow were both knocked aside by the blow, but then Minsc was there in a flash, making short work of the unbalanced golem. The two Solamnic Knights were aided by Valygar, the ranger appearing behind the other golem's back and then quickly dismantling the massive stone guardian, leaving their path to the heart of the sphere finally free.

"Thanks, both of you," Leah looked gratefully at Jaheira and Viconia, the two women slowly getting back up to their feet, having endured the blow of the golem.

"Not worth a mention," Jaheira grunted, wincing as she rubbed her sore shoulder, picking up the shield that she had dropped and walking away without any further comment.

"Yes... what she said..." Viconia managed, looking in a great deal of pain as she held her shoulder tightly. "What in Shar's name possessed me to do something so stupidly heroic?" she hissed at herself angrily before starting to cast a healing spell to soothe her badly bruised shoulder.

"I really appreciate the effort, though," Leah leaned in to whisper, then calling on the dark gifts of her sire to channel the healing energy into the dark elf's hurt arm and relieving the pain. Still, even with healing, Viconia was unable to keep using her shield, Leah having to strap it on the drow's back. Fortunately, it seemed as if they were just about done with fighting planar interlopers and misguided guardians of the sphere.

"Yes, well, don't expect a repeat performance of something so stupid on my part," Viconia rolled her eyes expressively as they quickly rejoined the others, already gathered around the disturbingly pulsating heart of the sphere.

"Right, I guess we should put an end to this crazy adventure," Leah said with relief, reaching into Minsc's backpack and retrieving one of the grotesque, ugly tanar'ri hearts. "So, as Lavok said, we just... toss this heart to the... golem, and the sphere will jump back to Athkatla?"

"Give me that, you low-brow peasant. (Trust these uneducated brutes to destroy my precious sphere through such gross mishandling,)" Edwin scoffed, snatching the bloody heart from Leah's hands before she had managed to toss it to the golem. "Throwing it to the golem would simply overload the power source, and make any further planar jaunts impossible! (And we do not want that.)"

"Sounds good to me," Valygar grunted, giving the Red Wizard a threatening glare.

"Now wait just a moment," Onvo, the knight from Ansalon, spoke up, frowning at Valygar's suggestion. "We helped you brave the dangers of the sphere, and you would deny us the opportunity to return home? I judged you to have more honor than that."

"Hmm, Onvo does raise a good point, Valygar," Leah agreed after a moment of thought. "Why should we destroy the power source unless we really have to? We could use it to deliver Reyna and Onvo back to their world."

"I suppose," Valygar eventually backed down. "I still think that wizard is up to something, mark my words."

"Edwin is always up to something, I know that, but he wants to return to Athkatla just as much as we do," Leah replied, nodding for the Red Wizard to continue. "Do what you have to, Edwin, and get us back to Amn safely."

"Some recognition, at last," Edwin huffed, turning back to the fleshy blob spreading at the heart of the sphere underneath them, carefully examining one of its many hungry looking maws after another. "Yes... I think I see it now... (Based on the size and the weight of the heart, it should go into the large maw over there, in order not to overload the power source.) There we go," he exclaimed, having tossed the tanar'ri heart into the gaping, pulsating hole of the unsettling looking golem.

"And hopefully we won't wake up in a tiny cage and surrounded by drooling, inane feral halflings," Viconia whispered in Leah's ear, making the younger priestess chuckle, but her amusement did not last long, the sphere lurching again, power fading for a moment, but coming back on much more quickly than before, the massive heart underneath them bubbling and pulsing with a healthy pace, looking even more disturbing than when it had been inactive.

"So... did it work?" Aerie asked timidly.

"Obviously. (Or my name isn't Edwin Odesseiron, which it clearly is,)" Edwin mumbled, looking proud as a peacock. "I changed our planar jump path to Athkatla back in Lavok's control room before coming here, of course. Though you are welcome to verify my success at the sphere's observation room. (Even if anyone doubting my brilliance deserves to be roasted alive in a slow cooking oven.)"

"You mean the room with the glass floor, is that right?" the avariel asked, but Edwin did not dignify such a question with an answer. "Let's go and make sure we're really back in Athkatla," the blonde elf urged, Minsc, Yoshimo and the two Solamnic Knights immediately agreeing to accompany her, leaving the others to return to the control room and the dying necromancer Lavok.

Relief spread through the entire group upon the discovery that they had indeed returned safely to Athkatla. But even as Minsc was carrying the feather-light ancient necromancer out of the sphere to fulfill his final wish, to meet his death under his own sky, the tension and uncertainty surrounding the future fate of the sphere once again broke out amongst Leah's comrades, ignited by Valygar's simple question of who would now take charge of the sphere. Edwin, of course, was quick to argue that he deserved to be in control of the sphere, since he was the only one who had mastered its controls. To that, Valygar claimed that he would rather destroy the sphere than see it fall into the hands of another crazy mage.

"Listen, we already agreed that we would help Reyna and Onvo to return back to their home plane," Leah's patience finally ran out, urging her to snap at the two bickering parties. "Edwin will be needed to operate the sphere's controls, yes? And Valygar, you can accompany them if you don't trust Edwin..."

"I most certainly will do so," Valygar spoke darkly.

"Afterwards, you should return back to Athkatla, where we can all calmly discuss and decide what is to be done with the sphere," Leah continued. "How does that sound?"

"Why that sounds positively and perfectly acceptable, dear Leah. (Hah!)" Edwin replied sweetly.

"We will do so, unless the wizard succeeds in provoking me," Valygar finally nodded in agreement.

The argument eventually seemed to fade with that as they stepped out of the sphere, into the warm afternoon sun of Athkatlan summer, relieved and happy to once again be back on solid ground after the bizarre and dangerous planar jaunt. "Ah... it is the sky, after all," Lavok gasped after Minsc had carefully placed the old necromancer on the ground by the sphere's entrance. "I had forgotten how it looked after so long. I thank you... I wish..." He never got to finish the sentence, however, his strength fading quickly, head lolling to one side as he peacefully passed away now that his final wish had been granted.

"He is dead... Lavok the necromancer is finally dead," Valygar grunted, looking at his dead ancestor with a conflicted stare. "I can scarcely believe it. My family's vow has been fulfilled, and I am now safe, and yet I feel no satisfaction. I had no idea that it would be like this."

"I suppose it would be difficult to take in the discovery that the vile necromancer, menace to your entire family line, maybe wasn't as evil as you thought he was," Leah remarked.

"There is that, yes," Valygar nodded. "Could he actually have been redeemed, after all that time? Did he actually fight that demon presence to prevent it from escaping the sphere? If you had asked me this question even a day ago, I would have answered that such redemption was impossible. Now I am not so sure. Perhaps... perhaps I do not know all that I think I do. I have not seen as much of the world as I thought I did. A disturbing realization..."

"Yes, well, while you are wasting your time with pointless soul-searching, I will make a brief return to the sphere," Edwin announced loudly, turning to walk back inside. "It occurs to me that I have left my spell book at Lavok's control chamber."

"A likely story, wizard!" Valygar shouted, dashing after the Thayan.

"Accompany me if you wish, ranger, it is your own time to waste," Edwin replied in a dismissive tone, refusing to slow down as he walked, Valygar hot in pursuit.

"Should we follow them?" Leah wondered, feeling a little worried, considering the constant arguments and bickering.

"Let's just allow them to kill each other," Viconia suggested, looking dead serious as she spoke. "Face it, that is the only way this constant arguing will end and we will all be able to have some peace."

"Umm... tempting as it is..." Leah admitted. "Let's just give them a few minutes before we go check up on them..."

* * *

"Very well, wizard, here we are," Valygar barked once he and Edwin had arrived back at the control chamber. "Grab your vile spell book and let's be out of here."

"Ah, would you look at that... I had my spell book with me all the time," Edwin chuckled, looking thoroughly amused as he retrieved the book from a hidden pocket in his robes. "What a silly misunderstanding!"

"Are you playing games with me, wizard?" Valygar glared at Edwin, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"I don't even have to play games with someone as gullible as you," Edwin laughed in reply. "The ease with which I was able to lure you back in here was embarrassing, and you should be ashamed for being so predictable."

"Lure me here for what?" Valygar challenged angrily. "Is it a fight you want? I would have given you the satisfaction back outside the sphere!"

"No, it is not a fight I want, the fight was already won when you foolishly followed me back into the sphere," Edwin grinned as Valygar suddenly felt a pair of massive hands picking him up from the ground and squeezing him in a bone-crunching grip, the huge guardian golem holding him tightly and barely allowing him to draw breath. "You see, I made good use of my time studying the controls of the sphere while you brainless monkeys ran around the abyssal plane, fetching the demon hearts for me. I managed to discover a way to make the sphere recognize me as its owner, thus gaining access to many controls... such as those of the guardian golems."

"And you lured me back here for what?" Valygar managed, the ranger close to losing consciousness. "To... to just kill me? Some sort of... petty revenge?"

"Ah, but I do not plan to kill you... no, wait, actually I do, in a way. But you are not going to stay dead, my disagreeable friend," Edwin explained smugly. "Once my lovely guardian golem has finished squeezing the life out of you, I will proceed to raise you as my friendly undead pet servant."

"What... why?" Valygar wheezed. "Why would... you do..."

"Isn't it obvious, ranger?" Edwin scowled, crossing his arms on his chest. "Entrance to the sphere is irreversibly keyed to Corthala flesh and blood, which is why I still need you with me. But you have proved that while alive, you are a threat to my life and my plans, hence... I plan to rectify that and make you pleasantly obedient and agreeable."

"No… don't..." Valygar pleaded, but Edwin ignored him, instead giving a nod to the guardian golem. As the massive arms intensified their grip, Valygar felt like he was getting crushed between giant clamps, passing out from pain when the sound of his own ribs getting splintered reached his ears.

"That's enough, golem," Edwin ordered, watching the guardian construct release the lifeless corpse of the ranger, his broken body tumbling to the ground in a heap. "Now, let's make a planar jump somewhere safe, where I can begin the process of creating my friendly Valygar-zombie servant... (I believe I will call him Jeeves. Traditions are important, after all…)"

* * *

"So, this is the fabled Abeir-Toril of yours?" Reyna asked, looking around the dilapidated buildings and muddy streets, filled with foul-smelling puddles. "I must say, first impressions are somewhat... depressing."

"At least we will not be staying here for long," Onvo nodded in agreement.

"I can assure you that this is perhaps the most sorry looking place in the entire continent of Faerun," Jaheira remarked. "But there are also places of great beauty here... though I suppose you are more interested in returning home than sightseeing."

"Very much so," Onvo agreed, then frowning worriedly. "Your two friends have been in the sphere for quite a while now. Should we go check up on them?"

"I was thinking that too, actually," Leah said decisively, walking up to the sphere entrance and about to climb in when suddenly the doors slammed in her face and refused to budge. "What the... what's happening?"

"I have no idea... but in your place, I would get back, young lovely," Yoshimo warned, Leah quickly following up on his advice, noticing that the sphere was by now lurching and trembling, crackling with spikes of energy.

"What is that crazy wizard up to?" Onvo asked, clenching his fists helplessly.

"Edwin!" Leah shouted at the sphere, knowing full well that the wizard could not hear her, or simply would not care even if he had heard. "Stop doing whatever it is that you're doing and come out of the sphere!"

As in reply to Leah's fierce demands, the sphere crackled with angry, blinding purple energy that made them all briefly close their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, they saw the sphere popping out of existence with a flash of white light, leaving behind a massive spherical crater in the rubble of the collapsed buildings of the slums.

"That little Thayan snake!" Jaheira exclaimed, seething with anger. "He just stabbed us all in the back and took off!"

"And… he left us behind on Abeir-Toril..." Reyna gasped, slumping down on her knees, tears streaming down her face. "We will never be able to return home now..."


	35. Chapter 35

Leah's anger only continued to grow as the full ramifications of Edwin's unexpected treachery began to sink in. It wasn't just that Reyna and Onvo had been denied of return home, or that Valygar was now stuck on the Planar Sphere with the Red Wizard, his fate uncertain. They had left quite a few valuable items behind in the sphere, believing that they would have the time to return and retrieve them at a later time, which was no longer an option. Indeed, there was not much aside from Viconia's new gauntlets and some spell scrolls and magical jewelry looted from the corpse of Tolgerias, that they had managed to collect as neither the feral halflings nor the various guardians of the sphere appeared in great need of coin.

Certainly, there had been some caches of valuables that they had looted, but all in all, putting everything together, their material gain from the Planar Sphere venture barely reached two thousand in gold, an amount that Leah considered pathetic, given the risks involved. Not to mention that they had also managed to kill their employer in Tolgerias and as such would be denied their promised reward, not that anyone truly regretted the Cowled Wizard's death, the man had been completely despicable and unworthy to even become worm food. At the frustrating end of their planar adventures, their total fortune stood at sixteen thousand gold, one thousand short of their goal and still with many equipment needs unmet.

There was also the question of what to do with the unfortunately stranded Solamnic Knights, Reyna and Onvo after a brief deliberation stating that they wished to remain in Leah's company, needing someone to be their guide in this strange new world they had ended up in. Leah had seen their skill in battle and judged it to be impressive, so she was not unhappy about this development, even if privately she felt sorry for the two knights. The best she could do for them right now was to hire them a room at the Copper Coronet and allow them to slowly start becoming accustomed with their new surroundings, which at least were better than the prison-like sphere.

With everyone settled back at the Copper Coronet, it was finally time for Leah to sit down and contemplate her next move. It surprised her that while it seemed that only a few hours, perhaps half a day had passed on the sphere, full two days had expired here on Abeir-Toril, which meant that Anomen's trial was coming up the day after, something that Leah did not want to miss, feeling as if she had to be there and support the young Helmite. There was also the murder case in the Bridge District, and she had made her promise to help Lieutenant Aegisfield get to the bottom of the puzzling matter, not simply out of the goodness of her heart, but also because she knew that the coffers of the city were deep and the reward ought to be generous. Leah also recalled that Sir Keldorn had asked her to seek him out after they were done with the Planar Sphere, and while she was intrigued to find out what the Inquisitor wanted to share with her, it was already afternoon and she felt a little exhausted after their planar adventures. Knowing that Keldorn would be there for Anomen's trial tomorrow, the young priestess did not feel bad about delaying their talk for that short while.

All this meant that unless they were eager to tackle the Bridge District investigation, Leah and her group currently had no urgent tasks to pursue. _Maybe this could be that free evening I have been looking forward to for so long?_ Leah thought to herself, rearing her head from the pillow of her bed and looking at Viconia, sitting at a table opposite to her, the dark elf busy cleaning her new magical gauntlets, focused expression on her face as she worked diligently to remove the 'foul stench of feral scum' from her new and precious possession.

Leah's eyes fell on the nightstand by her bed, and the Sigil Troupe pamphlet lying there, instantly giving the young priestess an idea. She picked up the pamphlet and rose from the bed, approaching Viconia and then allowing the parchment to float downwards and lay in front of the dark elf.

"Is that an invitation?" the Sharran immediately put the gauntlets away and looked up at her curiously.

"After this whole business with the sphere, I feel like we have earned an evening of rest and relaxation," Leah smiled. "And pathetic _rivvin_ culture, of course!"

"Actually, the name of the band implies that they might be planar travelers," Viconia pointed out with a chuckle. "And yes, I have had more than enough of planar adventures, but I am willing to give this theatre troupe a chance... and look, conveniently they perform every evening."

"I noticed that," Leah nodded. "We have around four hours to get ourselves ready. I'd like to look pretty when attending a play, but... not sure how we could arrange that. It would be ill-advised to walk around the slums wearing glamorous dresses, especially if we are returning late after midnight..."

"Hmm… I am sure there must be a solution," Viconia said, her voice becoming a throaty purr as she grinned at Leah. "We will think of something, because I definitely do want to see you wearing the dress you had on at Coprith's party..."

"Umm... only if you're wearing the dress that I know you kept after our game of dressing up as courtesans..." Leah managed to utter, blushing madly at the memories of how enchanting the dark elf had looked in that amazingly revealing purple dress of hers.

"I think that can be arranged, little _jalil_ ," Viconia replied with an excited spark in her eyes. "Here is what we should do. We will bring our dresses and other belongings with us in backpacks, and we will rent rooms at this Five Flagons Inn or any other establishment nearby. We will then use these rooms to change… this way we can visit the theatre play without attracting attention from the wrong kind of slum-dwellers."

"You know what, Viconia... that is a brilliant idea!" Leah exclaimed, looking thrilled. "Sure, those rooms will probably cost a lot, but... I think we can afford it. And maybe I can even get a decent bath there... Milil knows, Hendak tries very hard, but a Northerner barbarian's idea of personal hygiene is... rather different from ours, I suspect..."

"Yes, I have noticed that," Viconia sighed. "But I suppose we should get ready."

"Aye, feel free to start packing, I'm just going to find Jaheira and tell her where to find us in case of an emergency," Leah replied.

"Is there truly a need for the interfering busybody to know of our plans?" Viconia frowned.

"It's just not good practice for the 'omnipotent leader' to disappear without a trace," Leah pointed out. "Also, you would not believe the kind of chewing out I would get from her later, so really, I'm just trying to save myself from a world of hurt." Viconia merely laughed and shook her head at that as the young priestess ran out of the room, quickly picking her way downstairs to find Jaheira sitting at one of the tables with Reyna and Onvo, telling something to the two Solamnic Knights. Onvo had actually procured some ink, a quill and a parchment, writing down some of the things that Jaheira was slowly explaining to them.

"Yes, Leah, is there something you need?" Jaheira immediately noticed her approaching. "I am trying to impart some basic concepts and traditions practiced in Amn to our new friends... if only to save them from any trouble later."

"Jaheira is being extremely helpful," Reyna nodded gratefully. "We are both very appreciative. If Onvo and I are forced to remain on your world for the rest of our lives, well... we should just try and make the best of our situation, instead of sitting with our hands in our laps and lamenting about our sad fates."

"That's an excellent attitude to have," Leah smiled, then giving Jaheira a pointed stare. "Could we have a moment in private, please?"

"Yes, is something wrong, Leah?" Jaheira was immediately at her side, looking concerned as she led the girl aside.

"No… no, on the contrary, for once nothing is wrong," Leah hastily explained. "It's just that we have an opportunity to enjoy a nice, quiet evening, and I was thinking of visiting the theatre at the Bridge District."

"And you would like me to accompany you?" Jaheira asked. "Truth be told, there is still much left to teach to Reyna and Onvo, but if you wanted to go-..."

"I, umm, no, I already have Viconia accompanying me," Leah explained, stuttering a little as she spoke. "Uh, I just wanted you to know that... well, if there's an emergency, you can probably find us at the Five Flagons..."

"You're going to visit a theatre play with Viconia, just the two of you?" Jaheira asked, her brow furrowing, especially at how a deep blush began to spread across Leah's cheeks. "Are you sure this is wise?" the druidess pressed.

"How... how do you mean that?" Leah managed; not feeling entirely certain she understood what Jaheira was getting at.

"I simply meant that..." the half-elf began to explain, then hesitating a little as if unsure of how to proceed. "I simply meant that the Bridge District could be very unsafe after midnight, considering all those murders," she finally finished, although Leah could not shake off the feeling that the druidess had wanted to say something else. "There could be safety in numbers when traversing those dark streets."

"Oh... you don't need to worry about that, Jaheira," Leah forced a smile on her lips. "We won't be wandering around after midnight, we'll rent some rooms at the Five Flagons and stay there overnight."

"Well... if you are certain that this is what you want... I mean, if you think that it is wise," Jaheira quickly corrected herself, appearing a little uncomfortable. "Thank you for telling me," she added before returning to Reyna and Onvo, leaving Leah standing at the bottom of the stairs and feeling a little flabbergasted.

Even though Leah was excited beyond belief about spending an evening of culture and relaxation together with Viconia, during their brief walk from the slums to the Bridge District, her thoughts remained solely on Jaheira's odd reaction to the news. Earlier, the druidess had warned her not to try and force herself to feel something she wasn't capable of feeling for Anomen, and had even dropped in subtle hints that Leah should never think that there was something wrong with her because she was attracted to women. She had taken it as a quiet encouragement to explore her attraction to Viconia, and yet now when she was acting upon it, it felt as if Jaheira suddenly did not approve, and Leah could not make any sense of why the druidess would be acting in this way. _It almost felt like a... finely controlled jealousy? No, but that is ridiculous... impossible, even. Jaheira and Khalid were married for what, twenty years? She prefers men... and even if she didn't, I don't think someone as young and immature as me would be her type, not really... I mean, it would be seriously odd if... even if Jaheira is very beautiful, it would just feel... very strange..._

"I'm sorry to say that they only had one free room left, _abbil_ ," Viconia interrupted Leah's musings, returning to her in the common hall of the Five Flagons, the drow having chatted with the halfling proprietor of the place. "But they are going to prepare two steamy hot baths in the bathing chambers, so that we should be able to get ready and dressed before the play begins."

"That's wonderful," Leah replied, quickly shaking the last remnants of her thoughts about Jaheira out of her mind, smiling at the drow and feeling a pleasant tingle from the prospects of an exciting evening to come spreading throughout her, allowing herself to be taken over by Viconia's charm until nothing else felt important enough to consider.

The room was both spacious and glamorous, and well worth the thirty gold coins that they had to part with for the evening, which fortunately included the price for admission to the theatre play as well. It featured a large double bed, making Leah stare suspiciously at Viconia and wonder whether the drow was trying to arrange something, but on the other hand, it wasn't as if they hadn't shared a bed before during their travels, so this was nothing extraordinary, especially if there really was only room left to rent. They had barely managed to unpack their bags when a halfling servant girl brought them fresh towels and other bathing implements, announcing that their baths were ready before taking them to the bathing chambers. Fortunately for Leah, all the baths were in their own small chamber, because she was keenly aware that watching Viconia taking a bath would have probably caused her to self-combust or simply melt and dissolve into the warm water of her own bathtub.

Leah was the first to be done with her bath, heading back to their room and asking the halfling maid to procure something like a folding screen for her, which she then used to create a tiny closed off space around one of the wall mirrors. It was not that she was shy of Viconia seeing her naked, Milil forbid, secretly she **wanted** the drow to see and enjoy her nude body, but she simply did not want the dark elf to watch her during the process of preparations. She wanted Viconia to see the marvelous end product, to be mesmerized and stunned by it.

Some generous time later, when a loud bell rang downstairs, announcing that it was a quarter of an hour to the start of the play, Leah finally emerged from behind the folding screen, feeling satisfied with her looks and ready to dazzle Viconia with her appearance. But as she was faced with the drow's own stunning beauty, the expanse of tantalizing dusky skin displayed by the revealing purple dress, Leah could not focus on Viconia's reaction to her dress, only being capable of staring dumbfounded at the dark elf's striking appearance. For a moment, the young Sorlyn considered the idea of skipping the theatre play altogether and instead remaining in their room for the rest of the evening, spending the entire night slowly peeling Viconia out of her gorgeous dress, or allowing the drow to do the same with her.

"I... approve wholeheartedly, my little _jalil_ ," Viconia said, searing desire in her heated stare. "We should find seats in the front row and see if we can distract some of the actors with our stunning good looks."

"Hmm, that sounds like a worthy challenge to me," Leah laughed, glad that Viconia's voice had distracted her from too blatant staring at the drow's supple cleavage. "Shall we be off, my lady?" she asked with a teasing wink, extending her arm for Viconia, an invitation that was quickly accepted, the pair eventually walking downstairs to enter the relatively small but cozy theatre, the hall having the capacity to accept around one hundred and twenty visitors, perhaps more, but it would be an unpleasantly tight squeeze.

As it stood currently, there were maybe one or two empty seats in the audience, but overall the hall appeared rather packed. Half an hour into the play, Leah had to admit that she saw the reason for it, the Sigil Troupe seemed very talented indeed, perhaps the best performers that she had seen outside of Baldur's Gate. The play had a very interesting plot, set in the southern neighboring country of Tethyr and focusing on the intrigue and different power plays surrounding the royal family and the prominent noble houses. Leah briefly wondered whether Jaheira would have found the play especially interesting because of her past, but then again, the druidess did not seem to enjoy recalling the bloody downfall of Tethyrian monarchy that had robbed her of both parents and a normal childhood.

"The actor who plays the king's son," Viconia suddenly whispered in her ear. "He keeps staring at us the whole time. Did you see him winking at us just now?"

"No… I'm sure you're only imagining that," Leah chuckled, but starting to closely watch the handsome elf-like thespian in one of the lead roles. "My god... he really did wink at us!" she soon had to concede that the drow had been correct. "How very unprofessional from him!"

"Let's see if we can make him appear even more unprofessional..." Viconia drawled, leaning closer to Leah, the younger woman holding her breath when the drow pressed her soft lips against her cheek in a tender kiss. Leah continued to watch the actor on the stage, looking at them with wide eyes and promptly forgetting to speak his next line.

"Careful, Viconia, it looks like his head might swell and explode," Leah chuckled when the drow finally pulled away.

"Wouldn't that be something worth seeing, though?" Viconia grinned. "Come on, Leah, let's see what happens when we do this..." The young Sorlyn felt Viconia's fingertips tracing her chin, gently turning her head and then claiming her lips in a teasing, sensual kiss, Leah barely able to keep her eyes focused on the stage in order to observe the actor's reaction. Sure enough, upon seeing them lip-locked, the king's son lost himself in the middle of his sentence and could not recapture his poise for a while, prompting a chorus of discontent booing from the audience.

"Please, Viconia, that's enough, as fun as it is, we are ruining the play for the others," Leah whispered reluctantly, the sweetness of their kiss having left her dizzy.

"If you wish," Viconia smiled, chuckling when she noticed the actor glaring angrily at them.

As the overall enjoyable play eventually came to an end several hours later, the actors came back on stage to accept the generous applause from the audience. Only one of them appeared rather surly and frowning, an attractive blue-haired man, reluctantly apologizing to the public for his botched up lines and doing so with a very sour expression on his face.

"What an odd looking elf," Leah commented on the man's countenance.

"I don't think that he is an elf, _abbil_ ," Viconia corrected her as they got up to leave. "This troupe truly seem to be planar travelers from Sigil, in which case I should be right in thinking that most of them are not elves but tieflings. I have met their kind before, and they are... tricky to deal with."

Viconia's theory proved correct, as they learned some time later, sitting at a private table in the common room of the Five Flagons and enjoying the atmosphere of a kind of an after-party following the theatre play, most of the actors coming upstairs to join the audience and spending the rest of the night in exciting conversations and sharing bottles of wine with their admirers. The blue-haired man had also appeared briefly, looking displeased, but an imperious looking attractive woman with the same elven-like high cheekbones and pointed long ears, probably another tiefling, had intercepted him and given the man a verbal lashing after which he slinked off like a whipped canine. One of the actresses, who briefly stopped to chat with Leah and Viconia, explained to them that the woman was Raelis Shai, the leader of their troupe, and currently fuming in anger over the poor performance of their lead actor, Haer'Dalis.

"It has been a wonderful evening, hasn't it, my little _jalil_?" Viconia asked, smiling at Leah as they finished off the second wine bottle of the night. "I thank you for this excellent idea to come here."

"I really enjoyed myself as well, Viconia," Leah smiled back. "It was... a perfect evening, really."

"There is only one thing that could make it even better," Viconia spoke softly, taking Leah's hands in hers, the young human blushing heatedly from the intense stare in the drow's eyes. "You made a resolution back at the Planar Sphere. It is not my intent to try and force you, but..."

"I know... and you've been... very patient with me," Leah replied gratefully. Her eyes roamed over Viconia's beautiful face, the tantalizing dusky skin of her naked shoulders, and the mouth-watering, perfect valley of her supple breasts... _I want Viconia... I want her so much; I've already admitted that to myself. And I promised myself to no longer be afraid of what I want. Why should I fight so hard to deny myself something so wonderful?_ "Viconia, I... I think I am... ready," she added quietly.

"Come with me, then," the drow smiled as hand in hand they rose from the table and headed up the stairs towards their room. They were perhaps halfway up the stairs, out of the sight of those sitting in the common room, when Viconia suddenly stopped Leah and pressed the young priestess with her back against the wall, immediately closing in on the human and beginning to kiss her ravenously, hungrily, leaving them both breathless when they parted. "Patient I might have been, but your stubbornness has been testing even my limits, Leah," the dark elf chuckled. "I am not used to others being able to withstand my charms for this long."

"Trust me, I had to put up fiercer inner struggle than against the temptations of my dark heritage," Leah laughed. "Oh, and Viconia... you never did intend to rent two rooms even if they were available, right?"

In response, Viconia recaptured Leah's lips and began to kiss her deeply, as in the meanwhile her hands began to wander around the girl's body, one hand eventually sneaking in between their bodies and forcing its way between Leah's legs. The young girl's eyes flew open with surprise as she moaned in Viconia's mouth, reflexively grinding her hips against the heel of the dark elf's hand. "Do you really think we would have needed that second room?" the drow winked at the younger woman.

"No… gods, I don't think so," Leah panted heavily, looking a little glassy eyed as she whispered to the drow. "Please, Viconia... take me to our room... I need you to... to make love to me..."

* * *

Over the several centuries of her life, Viconia de Vir had taken countless lovers. She considered herself to have become somewhat of a callous cynic when things came to sex. In the Underdark, all they cared about was the perfect technique to satisfy a partner, but emotions were never something that was associated with the act itself. She had heard the surfacers sprouting nonsense that sex with a partner for whom you felt genuine attraction was far more enjoyable, but her own encounters with surfacers were hardly flattering to their skill, so it did not appear as if they knew what they were talking about. Those who had earned their opportunity to exert themselves with her had all been revolting males, capable of thinking only about their own pleasure and not at all about the needs of their partner, their skill lacking pathetically when compared with the lovers she had left behind in the Underdark.

Still, considering all her previous experiences, Viconia was strangely surprised at how different this night felt already, and nothing much had even happened yet. She had dragged Leah back to their room where they had hastily consumed another bottle of red wine before ending up in the large bed, Viconia lying on top of the squirming, eager young woman, clumsily but excitedly responding to her measured kisses, her trembling hands tangled in the drow's hair, caressing the naked skin of her back and shyly tugging on her dress, as if wanting to have more to explore, but not quite daring to take the initiative. There was something in Leah's responses that Viconia had never encountered in any lover she had taken before, and to her great astonishment... she realized that the experience was making her dizzy with lust, even if Leah had no skill as a lover to speak of.

Suddenly needing more, Viconia pulled away from the girl's lips, a strange tugging feeling within her chest as she watched the young woman underneath her panting heavily, her beautiful brown eyes half lidded from the intense pleasure she was feeling already. Viconia unexpectedly found herself trembling with a powerful need to possess this beautiful creature, to claim her in every way possible, to show her the true heights of pleasure only a drow could bestow upon her. Leah offered only token resistance and gave up very quickly when Viconia began to remove her enchanting red dress, eventually pushing it down to her hips and exposing the girl's breasts to her hungry stare.

As Viconia began to roll her lover's nipples between her fingers, alternating with soft, teasing pinches, she instantly realized what about the entire experience was making her so incredibly aroused. Leah was so amazingly responsive to everything she did to her, every caress caused a tremble, every pass of her lips and her tongue prompted a reflexive twitch and a tender sigh escaping the human's parted lips. But as Viconia took one of the stiff nipples in her mouth and began to worry the sensitive bud between her teeth, it was the noises that Leah made that caused the drow's core burn insufferably hot with need and desire, aching completion. The tiny mewling noises that fell from the girl's lips, together with the soft hitch of her breath... the response made Viconia's head spin with mad desire, urging her to move on, to rush even if she had promised herself to go slowly with her inexperienced lover.

Fortunately, Leah was well beyond the point where she still felt any shame or hesitation, and when Viconia leaned back and began to remove her dress altogether, the girl eagerly helped her take off her damp underclothes as well, remaining gloriously nude before the dark elf's appraising stare. Viconia ran her hands upwards from Leah's knees, moving across the impossibly soft skin of the girl's inner thighs, applying gentle pressure to spread her legs apart, and after a little bit of coaxing Leah finally gave in, the girl shyly turning her head away, blushing and averting her stare as she exposed her sex to her would-be lover. Viconia was surprised at how strongly her heart was hammering inside her chest as she stared as if transfixed at the beauty before her, the inviting thatch of dark brown hair above the junction of Leah's legs, the glistening folds of her sex, soaked slick and swollen, the sight pulling Viconia in and she was unable to resist it, descending upon the trembling girl who was eagerly expecting her touch.

Still, it did not take long for Viconia's brow to furrow in slight confusion, as she failed to discover something she had expected to encounter when first making love to the young human. "Little _jalil_ , have you been lying to me about still being a virgin?" she purred, her breath hot against Leah's exposed sex, the girl struggling with the urge to raise her hips to meet the drow's mouth.

"What? Oh... no… if you mean _that_... well, when you spend as much time as I have on horseback... that problem kind of takes care of itself..." Leah managed by the way of explanation.

"So... one could say that your virginity was claimed by a horse?" Viconia laughed despite herself.

"Oh... do shut up..." Leah panted. "You are really... killing the mood..."

"Can't have that," Viconia grinned, unexpectedly dipping lower and running the silky soft tip of her tongue through the girl's soaked folds, eliciting a litany of low moans from Leah's throat as the drow gathered the first taste of her new lover. Leah was not her first female lover, and probably not even her hundredth first, but she was the first human female Viconia would lay with, so this was a new experience for her in more than one way. The taste was difficult to describe, but then there was no need to do so, when Viconia immediately knew from the first pass of her tongue that the flavor was something she could easily get addicted to, as was the girl's amazing reaction to her touch.

"This is... so good..." Leah moaned as Viconia's clever tongue continued to lap up the wetness from her swollen folds. "Why... did I fight... to deny this to myself..."

 _Oh, it is only the very beginning, and she's already melting in my arms like this?_ Viconia thought to herself, grinning inwardly as she subtly pulled Leah's folds apart, exposing the tiny bud of pleasure above her sex and then quickly capturing it between her soft lips, sucking on it as Leah froze minutely before her hips tried to slam upwards and a deep moan escaped her mouth. Viconia, however, did not feel like giving the girl any respite, replacing the suckling motion with gentle flicks of her tongue, then drawing circles around the sensitive, throbbing bud, Leah's gasps and moans filling the room, the twitch of her abdominal muscles alerting the dark elf that her lover was nearing the inevitable release.

"Viconia... I don't think... I can..." the girl panted in-between her desperate moans, her slender fingers entangled in the drow's white hair.

"Don't think, just enjoy," Viconia said softly, releasing her precious prize for a moment.

"I don't... don't want this... to end..." Leah gasped, her legs squeezing tight around Viconia's midriff, toes curled as a precursor to her orgasm.

"I'm not going to stop, little one," Viconia reassured her lover, then bending back to her task, recapturing the stiff point between her lips and starting to worry it, the softest possible grazing with her teeth that instantly made the girl stiffen and shudder in her arms. The drow placed her hand over the girl's hot sex, coating it with the warm wetness from her folds, continuing to flick her tongue against Leah's throbbing clit, listening how her lover's cries of delight threatened to reach their crescendo. "Come for me, Leah," she whispered, pleased when on the next circling motion of her tongue the girl did just that, freezing for a moment and then twitching against Viconia's mouth as she surrendered in countless infinitesimal shudders, crying out in her release, a fresh wave of wetness spilling and coating the dark elf's digits.

"That was... that was..." the young Sorlyn panted, her body still rocking with aftershocks, struggling to recover from the intense experience.

"That was wonderful… but I don't think you've released all the tension that I know you have been building up," Viconia purred, idly licking some of Leah's wetness from her fingers. "And like I said earlier... I'm not planning to stop," she grinned wickedly as she plunged back in and recaptured Leah's stiff, over-sensitized clit between her lips.

Leah cried out in surprise and her head fell back heavily against the pillows. The girl's legs wrapped tightly around Viconia's midriff, heels digging deep into the dark elf's sides, but Viconia ignored the tiny discomfort and instead continued her assault on Leah's senses. As another surge of wetness coated Leah's sex, Viconia ran her slender fingers through the swollen folds before surprising the girl even further by suddenly plunging two digits between her folds and burying them deep inside Leah's tight, clinging heat.

"What... what are you..." Leah tried, but the power of speech appeared to have deserted the girl, reducing her to a shivering mass capable only of needy mewls, tiny gasps and longing moans. "Going to... kill me..." she finally managed, twitching powerfully against Viconia's mouth as the drow began a gentle thrusting motion with her fingers, driving the girl mad with pleasure and pushing her towards another culmination.

Viconia was astonished at how incredibly tight the girl felt, though given that she had never before made love to a virgin, she hadn't really known what to expect. The girl was clenching around her two fingers with such force that Viconia almost wondered whether Leah could break her fingers this way, unlikely as that seemed. Adding another digit was simply not an option, at least not right now, not that there was any need for it, the girl was threatening to come again any moment already without Viconia having to put in any real effort. The drow did not even have to curl her fingers and search for any particularly sensitive spots to hit, Leah was so over-sensitive that the light thrusting motion and the gentle suckling of her clit was more than enough. Viconia felt Leah tensing like a cord once more, remaining frozen for a moment and releasing incoherent, high-pitched moans, before dissolving into whimpers, pulsating against Viconia's tongue and around her fingers, another orgasm claiming the girl as she weakly collapsed on top of the sheets.

Viconia gently stroked the young human through the aftershocks and once she had calmed down, gently removed her dripping fingers, sitting up on her haunches and looking at the beautiful mess before her, Leah still panting lightly, expression of pure bliss in her half hooded eyes. For some reason, the sight made Viconia feel... it was hard to even put her feelings into words. _Proud? Protective? Perhaps... perhaps even... content? I thought such feelings would be denied to me, after all this time._

She suddenly felt a powerful need to feel Leah's warm, moist skin against her own naked flesh, quickly starting to slip her purple dress off her shoulders, aware that the girl was watching how she stripped with great interest. Viconia allowed the dress to fall down to her midriff before starting to caress her own breasts, sighing as she pinched her almost painfully hard nipples, so incredibly aroused from the unforgettable experience of satisfying her inexperienced lover. With Leah watching her like enchanted, Viconia finally removed her dress altogether, together with her embarrassingly wet and soaked underclothes, a testament to her own arousal. Fully naked, just like her lover, she slid back on top of Leah, their lips meeting in a searing, passionate kiss.

Having rolled around in the bed for a while, unable to get enough of the kisses and the tender caresses, Leah was the first one to pull away once she had ended up on top of the drow. "I think I could just spend the rest of the night simply kissing you," she admitted with a deep flush in her cheeks. "But... I'm thinking you probably want more at this point..."

"I do not want to press you into too much too soon, little one," Viconia replied softly, even if her core still pulsed with searing heat, aching for satisfaction.

"But I would like to try..." Leah whispered, the tiredness in her eyes instantly replaced with hunger and eagerness.

"Well... I'm not going to stop you..." Viconia grinned, responding to yet another quick kiss before Leah pulled away and began to slide down the drow's amazing body, slick with perspiration, most of which admittedly was Leah's own. In truth, Viconia did not expect much from her inexperienced lover, but with her sex already slick with wetness, throbbing with need from the contact with Leah's soft thigh, the dark elf knew that she would not need much stimulation in order to reach and cross the sweet threshold of pleasure.

However, when Leah gently pressed her heaving breasts together and began to flick her tongue against her nipples, slow, deliberate passes over each stone-hard bud in turn, Viconia was pleasantly surprised at how delightful Leah's ministrations felt. With some curiosity, her pleasure-addled mind noticed that Leah was not simply copying what Viconia had done to her, and while she could have probably pointed out at least half a dozen details on how Leah could improve her technique, right now she was simply too aroused to care. "Mhm, that is... very nice, little _jalil_..." Viconia whispered, thoroughly enjoying the girl's attentions. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Oh, it's something that Trixi Lovegood did to Lexi Sweetlips in the 'Search of the Golden Banana'," Leah explained, pulling away from Viconia's breasts and then laughing when she saw the blank expression on the drow's face. "It's a book I read back in Candlekeep. Umm... one of many similar books, actually..."

"Well, then... I am curious to see what else your books have taught you..." Viconia grinned.

"You'll find out in a moment, my dear Viconia," Leah smiled, reluctantly releasing the drow's breasts and kissing her way down the dark elf's perfect, flat abdomen, enjoying the light tremble of the tightly corded muscles under the dusky skin. Viconia did not hesitate in spreading her legs invitingly, anticipation throbbing through her temples as she watched the young girl settling between her legs and making herself comfortable. There was something incredibly endearing about the focused look on Leah's face, utmost concentration in her eyes as her fingers gently began to trace the outline of Viconia's sex, spreading her soaked folds apart, the engorged little nub already peeking out from under its hood, Leah's eyes locking with hers one more time before the girl dove in and sealed her lips around Viconia's throbbing clit.

Certainly, here as well the technique of both Leah's lips and tongue could have done with a great deal of improvement, but once again, Viconia found herself far too aroused to care. Her hips were by now gently rocking against the girl's mouth, her hands seeking out her abandoned breasts and beginning to squeeze the soft mounds, rolling her nipples between her fingers, the dark elf no longer able to contain her gasps and moans that began to escape from her mouth.

Viconia almost whimpered in dismay when she felt Leah's lips releasing their prize, looking downward to find out what had prompted the girl to stop, but what she saw almost made the dark elf surrender her control immediately. Leah was worrying two fingers in her mouth, coating them with saliva before bringing them to Viconia's throbbing entrance, the sight of the girl suckling on her fingers so arousing that the drow felt her abdominal muscles tightening almost painfully with need. As Leah resumed flicking her tongue against the tiny bud of Viconia's pleasure, slowly starting to slide her fingers into the dark elf's tightly clenching heat, Viconia came undone. She slammed her hips against Leah's mouth, surrendering with a loud cry, shuddering powerfully as a fresh flood of wetness escaped from her burning center, coating Leah's fingers as well as the girl's chin.

"Oh, Shar... that was... very nice..." Viconia panted, scarcely believing that she had enjoyed herself so much with someone as painfully inexperienced as Leah.

"We are not quite even just yet," Leah looked up at her, appearing eager to continue. She had not withdrawn her fingers yet, Viconia thankful for it, clenching around the digits in powerful aftershocks.

"You don't have to…" the dark elf protested, even if her entire being was pleading with her to urge Leah to continue.

"Tsk, tsk... do you really want me to stop?" Leah asked teasingly, chuckling when Viconia shook her head determinedly. "Thought so," the girl nodded, bending back to her task, her clever mouth once again seizing the throbbing little bud above Viconia's entrance, the digits buried deep inside the dark elf starting to move in a light thrusting motion. Viconia's head fell backwards, a shuddering moan escaping her lips, having to fight herself fiercely to avoid falling over the sweet edge immediately again.

Clenching around Leah's gently thrusting fingers, Viconia idly wondered whether the girl was attentive enough to realize that her lover's stretch could easily accommodate the third digit. As if having heard Viconia's thoughts, her young lover withdrew her fingers almost entirely, but then adding the third on the next deep thrust, coaxing another trembling gasp from the drow's lips, her abdominal muscles again forming tight cords, Viconia hovering dangerously close to another release.

As if the pleasure was not intense enough already, with disbelief Viconia felt that the girl's fingers thrusting in and out of her were beginning to curl slightly, probing the dark elf's clinging tight warmth for particularly sensitive spots. "Did you... learn this from... Lexi Sweetlips as well..." Viconia panted, breathing heavily, perspiration pouring down her beautiful body, making the dusky skin shine in the candlelight.

"Mhm…" Leah mumbled, reluctant to release her sweet prize, simply continuing to torture Viconia with her mouth and her fingers.

 _By Shar, I think this girl really is a keeper..._ Viconia thought to herself, impressed at how the girl adjusted the angle of her thrusts and the pace based on the audible feedback, showing just how amazingly attentive she was, even in such circumstances where everything had to be feeling so very overwhelming for her. It did not take long for Leah's curled digits to hit a particularly sensitive spot on Viconia's front wall, prompting a loud moan from the drow, and afterwards Leah unerringly hit the swollen spot with every thrust of her fingers.

This kind of over-stimulation was more than even Viconia could stand for. Her legs squeezed tightly around Leah's midriff, abdominal muscles stiffened with need, her tight, clingy heat clenching around Leah's fingers as the dark elf surrendered herself to pleasure once more. Viconia was still shaking with powerful aftershocks when she reached out and pulled Leah upwards, wanting to ride out her release while being held in a tight embrace of her lover. As they began to kiss deeply, Viconia was able to taste herself on Leah's lips, the sensation so powerfully arousing that it caused her hips to buck even more frantically against Leah's thigh, amplifying her orgasm.

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity spent in tender little kisses and sweetest of caresses, the sharp edge of desire finally began to recede, leaving them both content to simply wallow in each other's arms, safe and comfortable in their shared embrace, too exhausted to speak, but then again, no words seemed necessary. At some point, Leah pulled away for the briefest of moments to blow out the candles, but she was back in Viconia's embrace immediately after as the couple continued to cuddle, eventually drifting off to sleep.

The first time in decades, Viconia's dreams for once were not haunted by her memories of the Underdark.


	36. Chapter 36

On the following morning, Leah woke to the most amazing and shockingly unexpected surprise of her life so far. At first she couldn't understand the reason for the heady sensation of delight that coursed through her entire frame, feeling lost in an almost divine pleasure that forced her to part her lips and let out a strained moan. Only when she managed to look down at the foot of the bed, noticing that the blankets had been tossed aside and Viconia's head vigorously bobbed between her parted legs, did Leah realize why her body felt like it was being set on all consuming fire.

"Viconia..." she gasped, running her fingers through the drow beauty's white hair while making sure not to distract her from these pleasurable ministrations. Not that Viconia showed any sign of stopping, clearly determined to finish off what she had started while Leah had still been firmly asleep. The dark elf's clever, silken soft tongue drove Leah mad, hitting all the right spots, not giving Leah even a moment of respite, a chance to prolong the delightful experience. Viconia was merciless in maintaining her methodical, skilled routine, refusing to even acknowledge Leah's reaction, the soft gasps, mewls and whimpers that tumbled from the girl's mouth, focusing on one thing and one thing only; to push her helpless lover over the sacred edge.

It did not take long for Leah to finally surrender, her body trembling in the throes of powerful orgasm, the girl biting down hard on the soft pillow to muffle her cries. It was one thing to let herself go the night before when the loud party was still going strong downstairs and nobody could overhear their sexual exploits, but on a quiet morning like this, Leah definitely did not want to suffer the embarrassment of all the staff looking at her and Viconia knowingly once they descended downstairs for a hearty breakfast.

She was still panting heavily by the time Viconia tossed the pillow away and settled on top of her, the incredible sensation of naked skin on skin, and the following exchange of lazy, lingering kisses. "So, did you enjoy waking up this morning, little _jalil_?" Viconia asked teasingly.

"I think we both know the answer to that question," Leah replied, blushing when she noticed that Viconia's chin was still glistening with the wetness from her powerful release. "Though I nearly missed all the fun," she added, then hesitating for a moment, appearing thoughtful. "Umm... can you actually... sleep through, uh, _**that**_?"

"That's what I wanted to find out," Viconia chuckled. "But you just had to ruin my experiment, Leah."

"Are you really complaining?" the young Sorlyn asked cheekily.

"No, I am not complaining about anything, Leah," Viconia replied earnestly. "I... have to say, I enjoyed myself far more than I thought I would."

"Enough to consider that this might be more than just one time only thing?" Leah asked, unable to mask her hopeful excitement.

"I will definitely be looking for an opportunity of a repeat," Viconia responded in a sultry voice, Leah's heart making a quick back flip from delight. "I think you showed great promise last night, my lovely _mrimm d'ssinss_."

"I haven't heard you using that word before..."

"Who knows, you might be hearing it more in the future," Viconia laughed, bending down to capture the girl's mouth for a bruising, intense kiss. "Lover," she whispered, staring deep into Leah's brown eyes.

"Lover... yes... I like that word a great deal," the young Sorlyn whispered back. She hadn't really thought ahead at all, about whether they were actually in a relationship or was it simply all about sex, and she still did not want to think about that. It was clear that Viconia was at least interested in continuing a sexual relationship with her, and for now Leah was eager to take whatever was offered. Right now, she was so happy and elated in the beauty of a perfect night together with someone who had made her feel simply incredible, and all she wanted was to savor the moment instead of spoiling it by starting to plan for an always-uncertain future.

"As much as I hate to suggest it, we will probably have to get up soon," Viconia sighed regretfully. "Or else that half-breed guard dog of yours will come looking for us, and I imagine you would not want to have her walking in on us as we are right now."

"Err... that would be bad," Leah managed, rearing her head and throwing a cautious glance at the door to their room, fully expecting Jaheira to charge in any moment now, but fortunately the doors remained closed. "But yes... we probably should be going," she added, throwing a casual glance outside and noticing that the sun was already fairly high up in the summer sky. Still, neither of them seemed eager to show the initiative and get out of the amazingly comfortable bed.

"I don't suppose taking another day off is an option, hmm?" Viconia purred teasingly.

"No… not really," Leah chuckled. "Besides, I seem to remember we had something important to do today... but I can't seem to remember just what it was..." her brow furrowed with concentration as she tried to recall her plans for the day, and when her thoughts finally clicked into place, Leah rose so sharply that her brow almost collided with Viconia's head painfully. "Damn it! Anomen's trial... I completely forgot!"

"Bah, Anomen... why do we even care about the foolish boy's predicament," Viconia frowned, clearly not seeing it as a great incentive to abandon the comfy bed.

"Tempted as I am to agree with you, my dear Viconia," Leah began to speak, forcing herself to reluctantly climb out of the bed and start looking around for her discarded clothes. "But this is the kind of thing that is expected of a good leader. To care about the personal struggles of each member of the group, regardless of how much we would rather be doing something else. That is the only way to forge loyalty."

"An interesting theory," Viconia also rose in the bed, giving Leah a curious stare. "Let us see how it works out in practice. Clearly it did not seem to work all too well with the wizard."

"Heh, no, but truth be told, I hadn't put in the slightest effort in order to secure Edwin's loyalty," Leah shrugged, folding up her red dress and carefully placing it in her backpack, then starting to put on her casual clothes for the quick journey back to the slums.

"Also, I assume that you would like to keep quiet about what took place here," Viconia said, herself working on putting away her amazing purple dress.

Leah hesitated a little before answering, her eyes chained to the drow's spectacular naked form, the dark, dusky skin glistening in the rays of the morning skin. "Umm... yes, I would prefer that," she said eventually. "You will not have any trouble keeping quiet about it, right?"

"No, why would I find that difficult? I am not an eager young male, bursting to boost about my sexual exploits," the drow shrugged, turning around to give Leah a measured stare. "You, on the other hand, will find it more difficult to hide the truth from the others... from some of them, at least." Leah faced Viconia with a questioning glance, prompting the other woman to explain. "Jaheira is many things, but she is not stupid. She will be the first to find out what has happened, mostly because she finds you so easy to read."

"Err... yes, well, that's probably true, but there's not much I can do about it," Leah shrugged apologetically.

"You may have the others fooled, however, they are naive and inexperienced themselves," Viconia said. "With the exception of the bounty hunter, I suppose. He might deduce the truth as well, after our mongrel friend. Fortunately, both of them seem like the kind who would keep their discoveries to themselves."

"Thank the gods for small mercies," Leah rolled her eyes, continuing to dress in silence. Eventually, she wanted to imagine being able to disclose her relationship with Viconia to the others, but right now when she did not even know whether there was a relationship to speak of, she strongly preferred to keep things under the wraps until it became clearer of where they stood with regards to each other. "Anyway, I'm ready to go," she said some time later, throwing the backpack onto her shoulder and turning to face the drow who also appeared done with dressing. In a way, fully clothed and appearing all businesslike, the dark elf looked almost like an entirely different person than the one who had given her such incredible pleasure the night before, Leah feeling a little disturbed by the contrast.

"Almost ready," Viconia replied, also picking up her belongings and starting to walk towards the doors, then stopping to face Leah. "Just one last thing," the drow said huskily, nimbly wrapping her arms around Leah and pressing the surprised girl against the doors, claiming her lips for a prolonged, deep kiss that left them both breathless upon parting.

"Now we can leave," the drow spoke, amusement twinkling in her eyes as she took Leah's hand in hers and together they left their room at the Five Flagons.

* * *

Having made a very brief stop at the Copper Coronet, Leah and Viconia hurried to the Government District, arriving just in time for the start of Anomen's trial. Although Leah still had reservations about Viconia wandering freely around the district that was crawling with guards, the drow had been insistent about coming along, wearing a cowl that disguised her features enough to reassure Leah.

The two of them were accompanied by Jaheira, the druidess predictably not in a great mood after having been forced to wait on Leah and Viconia for most of the morning before. Reyna and Onvo also were accompanying them after Leah had suggested that they might find it illuminating to witness the judicial system of Amn in action, and also knowing that Sir Keldorn would be present at the trial. The young priestess reasoned that the Solamnic Knights would be interested to exchange words with an experienced knight of a different order, of an altogether different world, even. Yoshimo had refused to accompany them, stating that he harbored deep dislike for courts, something that Leah could well understand. As for Aerie and Minsc, they were still with Quayle at the Circus, and being already short on time, Leah had decided against making a detour in order to invite them along.

Anomen's trial was just getting underway as they all took their seats, Magistrate Bylanna Lanulin presiding over the case, directing proceedings and speeding things along with practiced ease. This particular session did not appear to be particularly challenging, since there was no need to spend hours in debates to prove Anomen's guilt, the Helmite openly admitting that he had caused terrible injuries to his fellow squire.

All that was left was to decide upon a punishment, which in this case meant establishing some kind of settlement between Anomen and Waltor, the squire he had injured and who had lost his left arm as a result. Waltor himself seemed to be a quiet and decent lad who didn't appear to be harboring great resentment towards Anomen, even if he would have been well entitled to feel that way; in fact the young squire appeared rather embarrassed about all the talk of monetary compensation. However, it was Waltor's family who really wanted to bleed Anomen dry over this, arguing that their son would never be able to lead normal life after this incident, and thus he was entitled to receive a monthly stipend of as much as thirty gold coins.

Anomen simply sat there downcast, nodding with his head bowed low, appearing to have accepted whatever punishment the courts would deem necessary and clearly too apathetic and disinterested to argue and defend himself. This was the cue for Sir Keldorn Firecam to step forth and put in several well-reasoned arguments in Anomen's defense. Since squires like Anomen received a monthly stipend of no less than ten gold coins from the Order, Keldorn argued that it was unreasonable to expect that Anomen would be able to pay such large amount to Waltor and still be left with bare minimum to support himself. Secondly, Sir Firecam pointed out that Waltor would not be abandoned by the Order just because his career as a knight appeared to have been cut short. In fact, the lad had already accepted a job at the Order's vast libraries that were constantly understaffed, and this argument in particular sat very well with Magistrate Bylanna who after some deliberations decided that Anomen was to pay fifteen gold coins to Waltor every month for the rest of his life, a decision which was accepted by everyone except the former squire's parents, but their complaints were swiftly rebuked and case closed.

In the aftermath of the proceedings, Leah and her friends surrounded the subdued looking Helmite, trying to offer some words of encouragement, but nobody really knew what to say and the circumstances began to feel rather awkward, Anomen looking as if he actually wanted to get away from everything and be left alone, instead of being confronted by the sympathetic stares of his comrades.

"We should visit my office at the guildhall," Sir Keldorn spoke up eventually, the first to lose patience with the awkward and uncertain milling around at the entrance of the Council of Six building. "There are things that we should discuss, Leah. Anomen, you should join us as well, for you might find what I have to say to be of interest."

"Will I?" Anomen replied bitterly. "I am surprised that I am even still welcomed to walk the halls of the Order..."

"Of course you are," Keldorn shook his head. "Try to muster a little more enthusiasm, Squire Anomen. I offer you an opportunity to do some good by aiding the Order, instead of moping around and feeling sorry for yourself!"

"I don't-..." Anomen retorted, but swallowed his reply quickly enough. "I... of course, Sir Keldorn. I will return to the Order and hear you out, as is my place to do."

"We will go, Sir Keldorn, but first I must clarify something," Leah said, standing next to Viconia. "I want your assurances that Viconia will not come to any harm from your more zealous fellow knights who eagerly strike down any drow on sight."

"Ah yes, the illustrious Lady De Vir," Keldorn gave the scowling Viconia a scrutinizing glance. "Leah, you have my promise that she will not be harmed... as long as does not wander around the halls of the Order on her own."

"Believe me, _wael_ , I have no interest to do so," Viconia replied, not looking particularly thrilled about anything the Order had to offer.

"Still, your promise is good enough for me, Lord Keldorn," Leah smiled at the paladin. "We will follow you to the Order guildhouse... oh, and these are the two new friends I mentioned before," she pointed at Reyna and Onvo, standing a little away from the others. "Knights from another world entirely, brought here by the Planar Sphere... and very much interested in learning more about your Order, its functions and values."

"One of the Order's roles is to educate those willing to learn," Keldorn said, smiling at the two Solamnic Knights who seemed to have taken an instant liking to the old Tormtar knight. "Once we arrive back at the guildhall, I want Anomen to be your guide and lead you on a tour around the Order. Will you do this, Squire Anomen?"

"After my shameful failure to uphold the tenets of the Order, I do not feel worthy to educate others on how to respect our values and beliefs," Anomen sighed, looking at the ground at his feet.

"Even more of a reason for you to do as I ask, young man," Keldorn lectured. "Repeating our vows and tenets will serve you as a helpful reminder of just what you have sworn to embrace yourself."

"As you wish, Sir Keldorn," Anomen finally acquiesced and the group of seven were soon on their way to the Temple District and the Order guildhouse.

During the relatively short trek from the Government District, Leah ended up falling in step with the glum looking Anomen, Viconia flanking her from the other side. Keldorn was at the front of the group with the Solamnic Knights, taking over as their guide from Jaheira, the druidess looking perfectly happy with this arrangement, walking between the two small groups and staying silent, content with simply listening in to their respective conversations.

"You do know that you will always have a place with our group, don't you, Anomen?" Leah offered sympathetically, having witnessed the young Helmite letting out another deep sigh.

"I truly appreciate your generosity, my Lady, it is more than I deserve," Anomen replied. "But as you know, I will have to find ways to earn coin in order to pay my dues to young Waltor. And I cannot do so while traveling with you, Leah, all your savings must go towards rescuing your childhood friend."

"What are you saying, Anomen?" Leah asked. "Do you wish to leave the group?" Having spoken these words, the young Sorlyn noticed that the expression on Viconia's face brightened noticeably, Leah frowning as she shot the drow a brief glare.

"I do not wish to abandon you during such an important time, I could not break the promise I gave to help you," Anomen shook his head resolutely. "At least, not until our task is completed and you and your friend Imoen are reunited. But it means that I will have to find another way to earn coin, at least for the time being."

"Do you have any ideas on how to do that? Surely you can't be expected to seek another employment?" Leah wondered.

"No, adventuring with our group is a full time job as it is," Anomen chuckled darkly. "I have some savings... they should cover the first few months, at least. After that... I am facing the unpleasant prospect of asking my father for help..."

"Well, let's hope it won't come to that," Leah said, quietly hoping that Anomen would be spared from such humiliation. "This is just another incentive to get to Imoen as quickly as we can... not that I personally needed more motivation."

"I will try my utmost not to become a burden on the group because of these personal issues, my Lady," Anomen said with quiet resolution. "But Leah, if at any point you feel that my presence is detrimental to the progress of our mission... please, do not hesitate to cast me aside."

"It is not going to come to that, Anomen, don't worry about it," Leah smiled, taking Anomen's hand in hers and squeezing it lightly in a comforting gesture, then looking over at Viconia to see if the drow would react, but Viconia was simply staring ahead and keeping the expression on her face neutral. Leah turned her gaze away from her lover of the previous night, only to have her eyes meet Jaheira's, the druidess looking back at her with that scrutinizing, piercing gaze of hers that Leah sometimes felt was capable of penetrating the deepest recesses of her soul. _I wonder if Jaheira has already guessed that I had sex with Viconia,_ Leah thought to herself. _I think I have managed to not give away any hints, like looking deliriously happy and love-struck, and Jaheira has not said anything, so... maybe she hasn't figured it out yet. Then again... she is damnably observant and might just be waiting for an opportunity to catch me one on one to speak about it... yes, I'm so looking forward to having that conversation. Not._

Shortly afterwards, the group of seven arrived at the splendorous Order guildhouse. Anomen actually managed to appear a little excited when he took Reyna and Onvo aside for a tour around the Order's halls, while Keldorn led the three ladies down the decrepit corridor to his pipe smoke filled office, inviting them all to take their seats in the haphazardly scattered chairs around his strange but inexplicably charming lair of the Inquisitor.

"I'm not going to mince words with you, ladies, I know you have little time for pleasantries, as do I," Sir Keldorn began, pacing slowly in front of them. "Yes, I do have a work proposition for you, but I will get to that once Anomen and our new friends return from their little tour. Until that time, I would like to talk about something else," the old paladin said, his sharp, penetrating eyes falling on Viconia's slender frame.

"You said that you had no issues with Viconia," Leah replied heatedly, quickly catching on and mentally slapping herself for sounding so overly emotional. "I mean, you did promise us not to harm her," she added in a more level voice.

"Oh, I would have issues with any worshipper of Shar, and your friend Viconia is no exception," Keldorn smirked. "But yes, I did give you my word and I intend to honor it. Still, there are things I wish to ask of her, and I am very interested in what answers I will receive."

Viconia rose to her feet, slowly and gracefully, allowing her hood to fall as she did so, Leah's breath hitching a little as she took in the fearsome, terrible beauty of the drow, hands on her hips as she faced Keldorn with a frosty stare that would send lesser men scrambling for cover. "Ask, paladin," she spoke coldly. "But I make no promises to answer, should I find your line of questioning... unacceptable."

"Ever since you rejoined Leah's group here in Athkatla, we have been keeping an eye on you, Lady Viconia," Keldorn began, keeping his voice low in order to placate the drow's growing ire. "I must say… your worship of the Dark Lady is nothing I have witnessed before in a Sharran."

"You will have to explain that, paladin," Viconia challenged, crossing her arms on her chest.

"The Nightsinger frowns upon her faithful working alongside servants of the benevolent deities, does she not?" Keldorn asked, Viconia nodding reluctantly. "And yet, you are working together with a Sorlyn, a Helmite, and a worshipper of Baervan Wildwanderer, and your mistress seemingly allows you to do so without any reprimand. Do you not find it odd?"

"I... if you have a point to make, I suggest you get around to it quickly," Viconia snapped, though Leah could easily see that the drow had been briefly unsettled by Keldorn's logical line of questioning.

"Never harbor hope, or turn to promises of success," Keldorn appeared to be reciting from memory. "Never strive to better your lot in life, and never plan ahead. Am I remembering that right, Lady Viconia?" The drow gave a weak, tired nod at that. "Do you think you have been successful at following this part of your Dark Lady's will?"

Viconia did not reply for a long time, myriad of emotions flickering in her eyes when Leah managed to catch her conflicted stare. For a while it seemed as if the drow would refuse to respond, but then she took a deep breath and began to speak. "It… was easy, at first," she confessed. "I was a lone drow in a hostile surface world. What could I possibly hope for, what plans for the future could I make when everyone I met sought to abuse me, hurl insults or outright attack me! I was a lost soul with nothing to hope for... a perfect vessel for the Dark Lady's will."

Nobody said anything, keeping silent, inviting the drow to continue, and after a brief pause she did just that. "But that all changed when Leah and her friends saved me from the Flaming Fist in Peldvale," Viconia spoke. "While traveling with them, for the first time I learned what it meant to feel safe, a strange concept for someone like me. Their... unexpected acceptance of a dark elf... was very disturbing at first, but with time I began to appreciate... and even enjoy it. I began to think that perhaps... just perhaps life could be something else than what I used to know, something... better. And yes, paladin... my Mistress of the Night should have reprimanded me right then, and yet she did not. As for why, I do not know."

In reply, Keldorn picked up a parchment from his desk and began to read from it. "Love is a lie. Only hate endures," he quoted grimly. "Harsh words to live by, Lady Viconia."

"I..." Viconia began to reply, shoulders sagging a little, her eyes meeting Leah's, locking in a desperate, emotion-filled stare that conveyed so many feelings at once, though Leah was certain to have felt hurt, fear and an unusual kind of uncertainty, so very atypical of Viconia. "Yes. They are."

"Would you like to hear my thoughts as to why your goddess shows such leniency towards you?" Keldorn asked quietly.

"By all means," Viconia replied, intending to sound harsh, but the words came out as more of a deep sigh.

"I believe it has to do with our young friend, here," Keldorn pointed at Leah. "Yes, the gods are not permitted to interfere with the affairs of the Bhaalspawn, but... it does not preclude them from doing so through their clergy."

"Shar has not asked me to accompany Leah, if that is what you are implying," Viconia retorted angrily. "Leah, I am not following you because Shar has some kind of agenda," the drow spoke, turning towards the girl, looking quite upset. "But you are not stupid, so I should not even be telling you that."

"The thought had not occurred to me," Leah replied slowly, thoughts racing through her head. Could this all have been just a big manipulation, Viconia's way of inserting herself to become her closest confidante, a pillow spy on behalf of her twisted goddess? The possibility was there, no matter how much she did not want it to be true, no matter how much the mere idea was breaking her heart.

"I do not think anyone is accusing you, Viconia," Jaheira spoke up, the druidess having kept quiet so far. "If you were happy to follow Leah without needing encouragement from Shar then we can hardly blame you for anything. And Shar loosening the demands she places upon you... perhaps she was simply manipulating you into staying with us?"

"Perhaps... I had not thought much of this until now," Viconia admitted, her eyes catching a dangerous glint as she stared at Jaheira again. "Besides, even if I had been operating on Shar's orders, I would not be the only one to follow Leah because I had some kind of a secret agenda."

"My agenda is hardly a secret one," Jaheira shrugged, not taking the bait. "Leah has always known of my allegiance to the Harpers, and she was smart enough to realize that I was there not only to support and help her, but also to watch her. But my promise to Gorion was and always will be my main motivation for following you, Leah," she said, looking at the young priestess. "As well as the friendship that has blossomed between us. But I do not need to say this, you already know where my loyalties lay."

"I do, indeed," Leah nodded, smiling at the druidess.

"Of course, many of those who would follow you will have an agenda of their own, that in itself is nothing reprehensible," Keldorn added. "I will admit freely that I have followed your adventures on direct behalf of my Lord Torm."

"All this divine interest is really making this girl blush," Leah sighed, shaking her head, not feeling particularly comfortable with these revelations, even if she was not truly surprised by them. "But I see no irreconcilable differences here, as long as we can all agree to work together for a common goal. And while I'm the leader of this group, that goal will remain the rescue of Imoen."

"Well spoken, Leah," Keldorn smiled appreciatively. "Certainly, when a deity such as Shar expresses an interest in you, it is my cue as a paladin of Torm to... show some concern. I harbor no ill will to Lady Viconia on a personal level," he added, bowing to the slightly confused looking drow. "But I would still wish to remain close to your group and observe, if you would allow me."

"It is Leah's decision," Viconia shrugged. "You have given me more credit than most of your kind, Keldorn," she said, frowning a little as she faced the paladin, but it seemed to be more of an indication of her own discomfort at the situation. "I will be able to work alongside you, if that is what you are asking."

"Then, I believe, it is all settled," Keldorn clapped his hands, smiling when he heard a knock on the doors a moment later. "Ah, and that must be young Anomen with our guests. Perfect timing, indeed!"

However, when Keldorn opened the doors to the Inquisitor's Office, only Anomen stepped through, frowning a little and looking rather peeved. "We were midway through our tour of the Order when Prelate Wessalen interfered and sent me away," the young Helmite huffed. "He was so fascinated by our two guests and their story that he offered to be their guide himself. And he also invited them to stay at the Order for as long as they would like. He seemed really interested in learning everything he could about their world..."

"Did Reyna and Onvo accept the invitation?" Leah asked, Anomen giving her a curt nod.

"At least it will keep the Prelate busy and away from interfering with the truly important matters of the Order," Keldorn said, earning a burst of giggles from Leah before she caught herself and blushed from embarrassment. "In any case, grab a chair, lad, and sit down... I have a grim tale to share with you, and afterwards you will have to decide for yourselves whether you want to address this plea for aid."

"What has happened, Sir Keldorn?" Anomen asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Please, do tell us!"

"While you were away from Athkatla, the city has been swept by prophets of what they claim to be a newly emerged deity," Keldorn began to explain. "The only true deity, they say, calling all the other gods false and luring the citizens of Athkatla with promises of profound wisdom of this... Unseeing Eye."

"How can such blasphemy and blatant, obvious lie find willing listeners?" Anomen wondered. "The proof of the existence of the gods is in everything we do!"

"Ah, but there is a great amount of those downtrodden in this harsh, cruel city, those who have lost all hope of ever improving their lot in life, and they are the ones who are always the prime targets of such wicked spinners of falsehoods," Keldorn replied. "They want to be given hope by some next big thing, something that will help them get ahead in their dismal lives. Their weakness is easily exploited by these prophets of the Unseeing Eye."

"Why should we care what happens to those stupid enough to throw their lot in with some kind of cult?" Viconia scowled, but everyone promptly ignored her harsh comment.

"This is most troubling, Lord Keldorn," Anomen said, nodding in agreement with the older paladin. "Especially because I have felt nothing that suggests an emergence of a new deity."

"My lord Torm also does not know anything about an ascension of a new god or goddess," Keldorn agreed. "Which means only one thing. This Unseeing Eye is a fraud."

"Do they pose any threat other than simply stealing the flocks from the legitimate faiths?" Leah wondered.

"I am uncertain, but the secrecy that surrounds this Unseeing Eye merits an investigation," Keldorn answered. "These new supplicants are being quietly spirited away, we suspect through a tunnel system in the sewers. None of them have ever been seen again by their friends or families."

"I would agree that this is concerning," Jaheira nodded, giving Leah a firm stare.

"But I have not yet told you the most disturbing detail about these prophets of the Unseeing Eye," Keldorn continued. "Each and every one of them had empty, raw holes in place of their eye sockets."

"They... they pluck out their own eyes?" Leah gasped. "And people still wish to sign on? Madness! How desperate does one have to be to agree to that?"

"Or stupid," Viconia shrugged. "Now I'm even more convinced that we should just leave them to their fate."

"I'm sure that the Order will offer nice compensation for our help, though," Leah pointed out, looking at the drow.

"You can be assured of that, Lady Viconia," Keldorn nodded. "Not only will your deeds be acknowledged by the Order, you will also receive plentiful rewards from the respective churches of the Triad. Lady Viconia, I am sure that Shar would be immensely pleased for you to be recognized as a Champion of the Order of the Radiant Heart."

"There is nothing more irritating than a paladin with a sense of humor," Viconia grumbled, glaring at Keldorn.

Once Leah had finished laughing, she looked up at Keldorn with another question. "Needless to say, Lord Keldorn, that we accept this task and hope that you will accompany us in our endeavors," she said, receiving an immediate nod from the older paladin. "When would you like to set out?"

"I believe we have had plenty of excitement for today," Keldorn smiled. "I, for one, will spend the rest of the day by trying to remember at the bottom of which old, dusty trunk I have buried my plate armor and sword. And I am certain that you will have your own preparations to make."

"I suppose that is true," Leah nodded, rising from her seat, already thinking that they could spend the rest of the day by helping Lieutenant Aegisfield in the Bridge District. "In that case, Lord Keldorn... we will leave to your preparations, and meet you here again first thing tomorrow morning..."


	37. Chapter 37

The day was still relatively young, barely reaching into the afternoon, when Leah and her group arrived in the Bridge District, eager to do some investigation into the mysterious murders that were plaguing the district for months. With Reyna and Onvo choosing to stay at the Order of the Radiant Heart, Leah had made a small detour to retrieve Aerie and Minsc from their stay at the Circus, especially since Anomen had been asked by the senior knights to also remain with the Order for now, no doubt facing some stern inquiries by the Prelate and others regarding his recent actions. At least Keldorn had promised that Anomen would be free to rejoin Leah's group when they headed out to investigate the strange Cult of the Eyeless the next morning, and Leah saw no reason to question the older paladin, already having learned him to be a man of his word.

Having arrived at the Bridge District, Leah followed the lessons she had learned from reading the many books in Candlekeep library about famous sleuths of bygone ages. In every such book, the curious protagonists always appropriated the method of splitting up and searching for clues. Certainly, it inevitably put them in life-threatening danger, but it also always netted results, and as such the wisdom of this course of action could not be questioned.

Following the leads provided by Lieutenant Aegisfield, they had three possible witnesses to track down and question, an old beggar by the name of Rampah, Faraji, a small child who had found one of the recent victims, as well as Rose Bouquet, a half-elven streetwalker. Leah decided to split their group into three pairs and assign them to tasks best suited to their individual skills. Aerie seemed like someone who would be good with children, and all the kids loved Boo, which made Aerie and Minsc the perfect candidates to talk with little Faraji. Viconia was probably the best bet to coax information out of Ms. Bouquet, and Leah selfishly promoted herself to accompanying the drow, leaving Jaheira and Yoshimo to interrogate Rampah, Leah trusting her druid friend to be more than capable of intimidating some old beggar into spilling the beans.

The day was still too young for streetwalkers to begin plying their trade, so when Leah and Viconia arrived at the little square by the Five Flagons where Rose usually offered her services, they found it empty. As Leah looked up at the second floor windows of the room where she had shared a night of pleasure with Viconia just recently, she felt a pleasant warmth hitting her cheeks and spreading throughout her entire body, having to fight off a wave of arousal from the mere memories of the beauty of their lovemaking. The young priestess shook her head, trying to clear it from the intoxicating thoughts, hoping that Viconia had not noticed her flustered state, only then realizing that Viconia had wandered off and was currently interrogating some local dockhand regarding Rose's whereabouts.

Viconia's efforts proved successful and fortunately for them they did not have to search far for Ms. Bouquet, the charming courtesan currently enjoying a rich dinner meal at the Five Flagons. As Leah and Viconia approached their target, the young Sorlyn immediately saw that Rose was very much a different kind of courtesan than the ones she had encountered at the Copper Coronet or the Undercellars of Baldur's Gate. The women, and the few men there, had looked malnourished, miserable, all life having gone from their dull, desensitized eyes.

This was clearly not the case with Ms. Bouquet. She was dressed in a simple but elegant casual outfit of tight leather pants and a matching vest that showed off her lovely assets, glamorous pearl necklace swinging around her neck, the beautiful red locks of her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, showing off the pointy tips of her ears. The half-elf was enjoying what looked to be an expensive meal of roasted prime rib with grilled tubers along with a bottle of exquisite red wine, something that Leah and her friends certainly could not afford on a daily basis.

"Yes?" the courtesan looked up at Leah and Viconia as they approached her table. "Can I help you?" she asked with a warm, sultry voice.

"We do not wish to interrupt your meal, but we would like to speak with you, Ms. Bouquet," Leah replied politely.

"If this is work related then forget it, I'm not starting until later in the evening," Rose frowned a little, eyeing them curiously.

"It is not work related," Leah quickly explained.

"Hmm… how strange, it always seems to be work-related," Rose's brow wrinkled at that. "Anyway, I value the freedom to enjoy my meal in my time off from work, so I think I'm entitled to some restitution..."

Leah undid the money pouch at her belt and retrieved ten gold coins and placed them in front of Rose. The half-elf looked at the stack of coins and continued to frown, finally gracing them with an easy smile when Leah added ten more gold, motioning for them to sit down at her table. "Only because you are such a cutie," Rose allowed magnanimously, chuckling when Leah blushed in turn. "Oh, and these coins have also bought you the permission to help me finish off this bottle of Turmish wine," the half-elf said, pouring in two more glasses for Leah and Viconia before passing them over to the guests at her table. "I do love it so when grateful customers buy me expensive dinner like this..." she added with a quiet chuckle, watching how Leah's eyes widened with delight once she had tasted the delectable wine.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Ms. Bouquet, you are the first courtesan I have met who actually seems to enjoy her calling," Leah said, slowly sipping her wine and trying to make it last. Her previous casual observation of Rose appeared to hold true up close as well. Rose was certainly not malnourished in the slightest, in fact, her curves had a pleasant, healthy roundness to them. The young half-elf seemed to be in good spirits, smiling, laughing, cracking jokes, and her eyes were sparkling with emotion, curiosity and excitement, completely unlike the bedraggled whores that Leah had met in her travels previously. It was clear that Rose enjoyed some kind of serious protection from someone with a lot of influence, perhaps the local Shadow Thieves guild who treated her as a very important and valuable asset, which meant that she could ply her trade in conditions much different from most of the destitute women in her line of work.

"The artisans practicing their skill in the pleasure chambers of the Underdark are highly respected in the drow society," Viconia shrugged. "Given the deplorable surfacer attitude towards carnal pleasures, your status in surfacer society does not come as a surprise... sadly. Of course, without experiencing your skill myself, I cannot say whether you should be worthy of the kind of respect and admiration that the drow artisans enjoy."

"Then perhaps you should hire my services for the evening, after all," Rose suggested with a wink. "I'm sure a night of passion with either of you would be delightful. Or... with both of you..."

"What do you say we take her up on this offer, little _jalil_?" Viconia asked, looking at Leah teasingly, the girl's eyes having gone wide as saucers from the mere thought of the proposition.

"Oh god... no… no!" Leah finally regained her voice, shaking her head in denial and blushing deep scarlet. "Listen, Ms. Bouquet, all we wanted was to ask you a few questions!"

"Rose, please," the grinning half-elf corrected her, before the courtesan's mouth curled to form an adorable pout. "Aww, and here I was thinking of giving you an introductory first night discount..." she added, leaning a little over the table and giving Leah a perfect glance at her cleavage, a pair of round, firm breasts straining against the tight leather of her vest.

"Give me some time, Rose, and I think I might be able to convince Leah that this could be an amazing experience," Viconia added with a salacious grin, Leah having gone rigid and unable to utter a single word.

"That would be lovely, I'm sure," Rose purred. "You know, I'm not supposed to say this, but I much prefer my female customers... they are so much more gentle with me. And I do love gentle..."

"Can we just please go back to the questions we wanted to ask?" Leah finally managed once she had recovered from her briefly stunned state.

"Aw, if we must," Rose pouted. "But sure, do go ahead, love, I'll just keep eating before this wonderful rib goes cold, yes?"

"Certainly," Leah nodded, trying her utmost to steady herself and focus on the task at hand. "We promised Lieutenant Aegisfield to look into the murders taking place here at the Bridge District. He seemed to think that you saw something in connection with a recent murder."

"That Aegisfield talks too much," Rose frowned. "I already told him what I saw, which was nothing. A man in a hood... that's all I know. Didn't even know the poor sod that died."

"Hmm… that is not much to go by..." Leah sighed. "Are you sure that you don't know anything else that could help us?"

"Well..." the lovely half-elf hesitated for a moment. She sliced off another piece of meat from the prime rib and chewed on it carefully while pondering her answer, eventually nodding before beginning to speak. "There was something, and it has been making me think ever since the murder took place. There was this... specific smell around the site of murder... well, besides the blood, I mean. At first I thought it smelled like guril berries... they are used in folk remedies, made into salves for..." the half-elf stopped to cough delicately. "Err, intimate afflictions..."

"Is that professional knowledge talking?" Viconia smirked.

"As a half-elf, I am immune to most afflictions that plague potential customers amongst humans, but my human sisters in trade are less protected, so yes, I do know the uses for guril berries from professional perspective," Rose explained without having taken any offense at Viconia's comment. "Anyway, a few days later, I remembered about the smell and told Aegisfield about it, but he and his guards simply laughed at me," the half-elf looked angry at that as she spoke. "Then I went to see one of the local merchants who often carries guril berries, just to make sure I had identified the scent correctly."

"And had you?" Leah asked, suddenly feeling very curious.

"Much to my surprise, I had been mistaken, for fresh guril berries carry a more tangy smell," the half-elf shrugged. "Nor was it the similarly smelling solik berries which are slightly sweeter and used by the local bakery. Mhm, now I am feeling like having some mumbleberry pie for desert," Rose said with a dreamy sigh, licking her full lips.

"So, you established what the smell was not like," Viconia frowned. "That does not help us a great deal."

"Well... while I was at the merchant's square, I caught that familiar scent once again," Rose whispered to them, leaning over the table and looking around as if worried of getting overheard. "Eventually I managed to find out what it was. It was a piece of oak bark."

"An oak bark?" Leah blinked, not having expected the answer.

"Yes, the merchant keeps it in stock for the local tanner, Rejiek," Rose replied. "He uses oak bark to make tannin, which is then used to make leather."

"That's some nice sleuthing work there, Rose," Leah smiled at the half-elf. "And the tanner's shop is just next to the Five Flagons, isn't it?" Rose nodded swiftly at that.

"Perhaps the wind simply blew the smell downwind from the tanner's shop?" Viconia pointed out.

"It was a strong possibility," Rose shrugged. "But I actually examined it as well. I went down to the murder site when I knew the wind was coming from the direction of Rejiek's house, but the smell wasn't there."

"You are smarter than most surfacers," Viconia admitted with a faint smile. "And this tanner, do you know him? Is he the sort who would do something like this?"

"He's a reclusive sort, that's for sure," Ms. Bouquet nodded. "Don't really know him at all, but... he's working with leather, and the dead people are all missing their skins. I really don't know why Aegisfield can't put two and two together on this one."

"Yes, I think this Rejiek demands closer investigation," Leah said, smiling at Rose. "Well, thank you for your help, Ms. Bouquet, I think it was worth every bit of coin. And the wine was delightful, too."

"My pleasure," Rose smiled back at her. "You know, I have a vested interest in making these streets safer. At least there is plenty of traffic around the Five Flagons, so I do not feel too uncomfortable here, but walking back home during the deep of the night really makes my blood run cold at times. So, if you can catch the one behind these killings... I would be infinitely grateful."

"We intend to do our best," Leah replied, rising from the table and heading for the exit together with Viconia.

"Oh, and don't forget about my offer!" Rose called after them, blowing a kiss to Leah in particular. "Special introductory price, just for you, sweetie!"

"Err, uh... we'll think about it..." Leah mumbled in reply, suddenly feeling like making a hasty escape.

"Sure you will," Rose laughed to herself before going back to her by now sadly cold meal.

* * *

"Lecherous old bastard," Jaheira snarled, cracking her knuckles and glaring at the unconscious Rampah, lying in a gutter with a blissful expression on his face. "I am sorely tempted to collect the five gold fee that we parted with for his information... though that would involve touching the man." The half-elf's pretty face twisted with a deep frown. "No, perhaps not," she muttered, turning to walk away.

"Besides, he did provide us with the evidence we were looking for," Yoshimo placated, falling into step with the irate druidess. "It would be unfair to renege on our deal now."

"Yes, though I do not recall fondling my backside as I was turning to walk away being a part of this deal," Jaheira spat angrily, sending a glare Yoshimo's way when he dared to laugh at her reaction.

"I'm sure he will never attempt something like that again," the Kara-Turan added as they continued walking. "Mind you, I can understand the temptation..."

"Do you have a burning desire to find yourself unconscious, lying face first in the gutter next to Rampah?" Jaheira barked. Yoshimo shook his head vigorously, looking at her with a disarming smile. "Then keep your smart mouth shut from now on."

"As the lady would have it, of course," Yoshimo spoke amiably. "And what do you think of our expensive evidence?" he asked a while later, sensing that Jaheira had calmed down enough to speak rationally.

"It might prove useful. Then again, it might prove to be a complete waste of five gold coins," Jaheira shrugged, referring to the curious clue that Rampah had found next to one of the murder victims, a piece of thick hide that looked to have been torn from a brand new set of leather armor.

"I thought that being a druid you would be able to identify it easily," Yoshimo wondered.

"I would, if it had come from any animal that can be found locally," Jaheira replied sharply. "Alas, it is an exotic hide that I do not recognize, but perhaps we can find someone who does. Right now, the only thing we can do is to deliver it to Leah and have her decide on what to do with it."

"I suppose," the Easterner rogue shrugged as they proceeded back towards the Five Flagons, their appointed place of meeting once they had completed their respective tasks. "I wonder how the others have fared... especially our gracious leader and her interrogation of the streetwalker. She was quite insistent on accompanying our drow friend, was she not?"

"They have always been close," Jaheira replied, keeping her voice neutral.

"Yes, but... I don't know," Yoshimo began, then falling silent for a while. "You thought that they would return last night after the play, but they only came back on the next morning, isn't that right?"

"No, you are wide off the mark, Yoshimo, they never intended to return immediately after the play," Jaheira returned stiffly. "Leah thought that it would be safer to stay at the Five Flagons and I agreed completely with the wisdom of her decision."

"Still, I wonder if safety was her first concern..." Yoshimo mused, knowing smile dancing on his lips, forcing Jaheira to stop and glare at the bounty hunter.

"If you have something to say, then say it," the druidess demanded, looking particularly irate.

"Our lovely Leah appears to be very taken with the drow, and not just in a way of friendship," Yoshimo chuckled as he explained. "And the way she keeps stealing little glances at Viconia here and there when she thinks nobody else is looking... one has to wonder whether something... interesting, happened last night..."

"It is just your imagination. Perhaps typically wishful thinking on the side of an overexcited male," Jaheira shook her head dismissively. "There is nothing of that sort between Leah and Viconia, I can assure you."

"Perhaps you are right, I was only guessing," Yoshimo acceded, raising his hands apologetically. "But if there were something like that between our glorious leader and her favorite drow, I hazard a guess that you would not approve of such a... connection."

"Leah is a grown woman," Jaheira shrugged. "Her choice of companionship should be her own and my approval or disapproval should never enter into her decisions."

"The polite way of saying that you would disapprove, of course," the Kozakuran chuckled. "Which is strange, because you don't seem to have an issue with Viconia based on purely moral grounds. Do you think that she would corrupt our innocent and pure leader?"

"Ha!" Jaheira barked out a laugh. "It is quite clear that Leah could do with a little bit of corrupting. She is still too naive in so many ways."

"But if moral issues are not at the heart of your problem with Viconia, then it only leaves one other explanation," Yoshimo grinned at the druidess.

"I dare you to say it," Jaheira challenged, looking furious.

"Bah, what is life without taking a risk or two?" Yoshimo winked back at the irritated half-elf. "Could it be that you are... jealous?"

Yoshimo did not even see the gauntleted fist exploding in his face and sending him crashing on the ground. Once he finally came to, the Kara-Turan looked up to see the seething druidess towering above him. "Never dare to utter something that would question my devotion to my husband, do you understand me?" she hissed, divinely beautiful in her righteous anger, glaring until the dazed Yoshimo managed a weak nod.

"Ugh," the Easterner rogue muttered quietly, slowly pulling himself up from the ground and looking after Jaheira's swiftly retreating form. "What a collection of misfits... I'm starting to think that the bald, tattooed giant who regularly converses with his pet hamster actually has the fewest issues amongst this group..."

* * *

"What a nice little boy!" Minsc exclaimed cheerfully after he and Aerie had finished talking with young Faraji, the kid going back to his extremely important activity of poking a dead, bloated body of a sewer rat with a sharp stick. "And so helpful, too!"

"Uh, I'm not sure about that, Minsc," Aerie frowned, looking uncertain. "I think he simply fears and dislikes this Missus Cragmoon, that's why he pointed his fingers at her." Brief chat with the little boy hadn't yielded much information, Faraji hadn't actually seen anything except the bloodied, skinless corpse of old Bilver, one of the many beggars who frequented the district. Faraji had been very insistent that the murders were work of the evil witch Cragmoon who apparently held the entire district under her tyrannical rule... if one were to believe the fantasies of an eight year old.

"And the little boy said Missus Cragmoon was an evil witch," Minsc nodded after a brief moment of thought. "That can't be right! Witches aren't evil at all... at least Dynaheir wasn't!"

"Ah... yes, well..." Aerie hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. Leah had told her that Minsc had lost his charge, a powerful spellcaster from his faraway homeland, during their traumatic captivity by Irenicus, but the ranger himself rarely mentioned this Dynaheir. "I think Leah would want us to speak with this witch and see whether she is nice or mean, before reporting back to her. Shall we do that?"

"Of course!" Minsc beamed at the tiny avariel by his side. "Minsc trusts little Aerie to come up with a plan that is almost as good as Boo's!"

"Err... yes, that is... flattering," the young elf sighed, trying to take it as a compliment, which was not an easy perspective to adopt when one's wisdom was unflatteringly compared to that of a hamster.

The stall where Missus Cragmoon peddled her wares was quite challenging to find, hidden in a dark alcove behind the local temple of Helm, Aerie and Minsc passing by the little shop twice without noticing it, only finally spotting it on their third passing through the narrow walkways. The shop consisted of several shelves bursting with different vials, the old woman who was currently eyeing them with a suspicious stare apparently fancying herself to be something of an expert at potion making. Missus Cragmoon made for a strange sight, and Aerie could easily see how her appearance could frighten small children like Faraji. She was aging, but still stood tall, reaching almost to Minsc's shoulders, her eyes keen and scrutinizing as she watched them approach. Her hair was made of strands of white mixed with black, various feathers and shiny beads tied into her braids. The old potion maker also had a very prominent crooked nose, almost making her look like some kind of dangerous vulture.

"Can I help you, dear?" the old crone asked, looking at Aerie in particular, making the young elf blush when she realized that she had been staring. Fortunately, Missus Cragmoon did not sound unkind as the two intrepid would-be investigators approached her little stall. "You look a little preoccupied, like you have a question or two."

"Umm, well..." Aerie hesitated, but largely thanks to Minsc's towering presence, gathered her wits quickly enough. "We have been looking into the gruesome skinner murders, talking with locals... and some have urged us to speak with you..."

"That would be the little rascal, Faraji," Mrs. Cragmoon shook her head reproachfully. "He has quite a sad story, you know, but then again, around here who doesn't? I let that poor orphan get away with stealing more often than he thinks. What exactly did he say about me?"

"He, uh, said you were an evil witch," Aerie cringed a little as she spoke the words.

"But Minsc can clearly see that the little boy was mistaken," the large ranger next to her bellowed. "It is plain as day that you are a noble and benevolent witch, and Minsc does not need Boo's sage wisdom to understand this."

"Noble and benevolent... nobody has called me that before," the old potion maker chuckled heartily, then reaching to take something from one of the many shelves, several potions that she handed over to Minsc. "Here, an oil of speed and freshly brewed healing potions for you, my large friend. Take it as a gratitude for brightening my day."

"What did I tell you, little Aerie?" Minsc beamed, grinning at the avariel. "Minsc knew she was a witch of great goodness and compassion, and Minsc is never wrong about anything that has to do with witches."

"And what of you, sweet child?" Mrs. Cragmoon turned towards Aerie. "Do you still think I could be the murderer you seek?"

"Umm... not really," Aerie admitted. "But perhaps you know something about what has been going on here?"

"I sense enough to leave it well alone, to close my shop early and return home before darkness has overtaken the streets," the old woman replied enigmatically. "There is something sinister at work here, something that might involve dark and ancient magic... powerful enough that I understand it is beyond my meager ability to withstand... so I choose to avoid it and hope that someone more skilled will be able to deal with it. Will you be these heroes?" Missus Cragmoon studied them intently for a while. "Who can say..."

"Minsc and Boo will ferret out this evil and... uh, no, Boo, there are no evil ferrets around... err... now Minsc has forgotten what he was about to say..." the large Rashemi admitted, scratching his head and looking confused.

"Take good care of your large friend, sweet child," Mrs. Cragmoon smiled at Aerie. "It seems clear that you will need to do all the thinking for you both... best of luck in your travels... and be sure not to take on something you are ill equipped to deal with..."

With that, Aerie had no choice but to thank the old crone for her time and the cryptic warning, leading Minsc away from the stall and resuming their trek back towards the Five Flagons, feeling a little disappointed that their investigation had hit such an obvious dead end. Their lead had seemed the least promising to begin with, even Leah had thought so, but Aerie could not begrudge their leader for sending them on this wild goose chase, acknowledging that every possible path needed to be examined. And Aerie also had to admit that she had difficulties imagining Jaheira or Viconia having as much patience with little Faraji's wild stories as she did.

"Why does everyone always think witches to be evil?" Minsc spoke up suddenly, looking a little downcast. "Such injustice makes Minsc and Boo sad... but Boo says it is not something that can be solved with righteous butt-kicking..."

"You still miss your Dyna-... your witch a great deal, don't you, Minsc?" Aerie asked carefully, watching the large ranger's face clouding with sadness.

"Yes," the Rashemi intoned gravely. "Fair Dynaheir was often harsh to Minsc... and she did not seem to always appreciate the importance of Boo... but she was our charge and we were supposed to protect her with our lives." The large ranger gave a big sigh at that. "But Minsc failed in his task... and such a badge of shame is not easily removed..."

"I think you have done a wonderful job protecting our entire group, Minsc," Aerie smiled at her big friend. "Hmm… do you think I would make a good witch, perhaps?"

"Oh! Little Aerie would make a fine witch for Minsc to protect!" the Rashemi grinned, looking excited, then turning his attention to the frantic squeaking of Boo. "Ah... oh yes, Minsc understands... Boo says that Minsc can only take a proper Rashemi Witch as his charge. But little Aerie can always come with us back to Rashemen after we have finished helping little Leah! Aerie could train to become a proper witch!"

"I... well, perhaps that might be possible..." Aerie said hesitantly.

"It will not matter that the training might take years, perhaps decades to prove your loyalty to the other witches," Minsc continued to explain. "And little Aerie will not be deterred by the lengthy journey of many months, taking us through some of the most perilous places in all of Faerun!"

"Uh... I... maybe we should talk about this later, Minsc..." Aerie stuttered, suddenly looking very uncertain.

"Yes, we have much to do to rescue little Imoen first!" Minsc agreed, then turning to whisper to Boo, having made sure that Aerie would be unable to overhear. "Boo, you did not say these things to frighten little Aerie, did you?"

The hamster did not let out a single squeak in reply, but there was the distinct impression of Boo rolling his eyes as expressively as a hamster could manage.

* * *

"So, I think we can exclude the old witch Cragmoon from our list of suspects," Leah spoke, having listened to the reports from all of her friends, the group sitting in one of the several private booths in the Five Flagons common room.

"Yes, I think so too, Leah," Aerie agreed quickly.

"But this Rejiek demands further investigation, I say," Jaheira said decisively. "Between the piece of leather armor from the scene of crime and your own discoveries, I would say there is a good chance that the man is involved somehow."

"I don't think that what we have would be enough for Aegisfield," Yoshimo offered. He was sporting an angry red bruise on his chin, the origins of which he refused to disclose. "And I'm not sure confronting the tanner with our evidence would be wise. We could simply scare him and his potential accomplices away."

"I agree completely," Leah nodded. "I think we need to set up watch and see if we can nab him in the act, so to speak. And I already have a plan on how to do that... turns out, the Five Flagons are located very conveniently nearby in relation to the tanner shop. I have rented a room that offers the best view at the entrance to Rejiek's shop, and I am thinking of staying there for the night and observing any strange activities around the tanner shop." It was actually the same room where she and Viconia had spent the last night having mind-blowing sex, but of course she did not mention that. "I might need someone with me, though, just to make sure that I don't fall asleep." She gave Viconia what she hoped was a casual, disinterested look. "How about you, Vic, up for some snooping?"

"I don't see why not, _abbil_ ," Viconia shrugged, easily managing to appear indifferent.

"That does not seem like a good idea," Jaheira shook her head. "You both will suffer from sleep deprivation and we have a difficult day ahead of us tomorrow. No, we will handle it differently."

"What are you proposing?" Leah asked guardedly. _Hmm, was I too unsubtle and Jaheira suspects something already? Or maybe I'm just paranoid._

"I propose that we rent three rooms, one for the men and another for us, women," Jaheira explained. "Then we set up a watch schedule the same way we do when traveling in the countryside. By doing so we can maintain a vigilant watch over what happens at the tanner's place, and we can all still get a decent amount of sleep."

"Well... that seems a lot more logical than my plan, yes," Leah admitted, trying her best not to sound reluctant. Certainly, Jaheira's plan made far more sense, and there was no indication that the druidess might have had some other motives to interfere in what Leah had hoped to provide some alone time for her and the sexy drow that had stolen her innocence in such an unforgettable way. "Feel free to see about renting the other rooms then, while the rest of us get ready to turn in."

As the group began to file out of the private booth, Leah felt Viconia pulling her a little aside, the drow leaning closer to her; the dark elf's intoxicatingly warm breath tickling her ear. "Nice try," Viconia purred sweetly. "And it almost worked, too..."


	38. Chapter 38

Leah let out a small yawn, peeking out from the window of the dark room in the Five Flagons, facing the little square outside the inn and providing a perfect view of the entrance to Rejiek's tanner shop. It was an ungodly hour in the middle of the night and the streets were completely devoid of people, not a single one having passed by ever since she had taken over the watch duty. She had taken her shift over from Viconia, having quietly expected that the drow would stay behind and keep her company for a little while, but much to her disappointment and frustration, Viconia had bid her goodnight and returned to the larger of the rooms they shared with Jaheira and Aerie.

The young Sorlyn did not believe for a moment that Viconia was so tired that she wanted to retire immediately, so there had to be something else at work here, the drow probably playing some kind of game, toying with her. And whatever Viconia's game might be, Leah knew painfully well that she would happily go along with everything, now that she had tasted pleasure together with the drow. Perhaps Viconia wanted to make her starve a little so that it would feel even more rewarding when they later consummated their passions together. If that was the dark elf's plan, then it was working all too well, sweet ache gradually building in her heated core, already desperately longing for the drow's clever tongue and nimble fingers to satisfy her burning desires.

 _Oh, come now Leah, focus on your task... stop acting like some kind of a doe-eyed lovesick maiden!_ She mentally chided herself, knowing full well that she probably was a doe-eyed lovesick maiden, but she did not want her distracted emotional state to become a hindrance. She had a task to do, and as the leader of the group, it was up to her to set an example for the others, it would simply not do for her to become unfocused and allow the potential murderer to slip away unnoticed. Even if it was very unlikely that they would get as lucky as to catch Rejiek or someone in league with him red-handed. According to Lieutenant Aegisfield, these murders occurred with the frequency of roughly one event every two tendays, but this one event was usually a particularly bloody night leaving behind several corpses. Old Bilver had died six nights ago, so it was actually very unlikely that another murder would follow so soon, however, Leah did not see it as an excuse to slack off.

Having finally managed to refocus her thoughts purely on her task, Leah almost completely missed the light creak of the doors behind her opening and someone stepping inside with soft, feline steps. "Is it time to swap already?" the young priestess asked, addressing whom she thought to be Jaheira, coming to relieve her from the watch.

"No, I reckon there is a good quarter of an hour left before you are replaced," instead she heard Viconia's dulcet tones in response, Leah turning around, her heart skipping a beat and making an excited little jump within her chest.

"Viconia," Leah gasped, uncertain what to make of the drow's unexpected appearance. "I thought you would be sleeping by now!"

"Do you want me to go back to the bed, _abbil_?" Viconia asked in a sultry voice.

"Err, no… unless it is what you wish, of course," Leah stammered.

"So unnecessary polite, as always," Viconia chuckled, stepping up to stand behind Leah, watching the dark street outside over the girl's shoulder. "Let me guess... no sign of anything interesting..."

"Yes... it's been very... boring..." Leah confessed, her body stiffening a little when she felt Viconia's hands tracing the outline of her hips, the softest of brushes by Viconia's breasts against her back.

"Your mind has probably been elsewhere all this time, hasn't it?" Viconia whispered in her ear, intensifying her touch, her hands meeting on the flat plane of Leah's stomach, holding the girl a willing prisoner. "Was your mind on something more exciting, perhaps?"

"I... perhaps..." Leah sighed, leaning back into Viconia and resting her head against the drow's shoulder, but still keeping a small part of her attention on the street outside.

"Yes, so I feel," Viconia purred. "Well, I know how committed you are to always place your tasks above everything else... but you can stay sharp on your watch duty, while still having fun... if you'd allow me to show how..."

"Suddenly I am... very curious..." Leah gasped, feeling one of Viconia's hands dipping a little lower and unfastening the top pair of buttons on her pants, just enough for the dark elf to be able to slip her hand inside of Leah's pants, the girl immediately starting to squirm and shift, desperately trying to force her heated center to make contact with Viconia's deft fingers.

"My, my... I do not think your mind has been on the task at all..." Viconia whispered teasingly in the girl's ear, her fingertips tracing the outline of Leah's sex. "My little _jalil_ is so wet for me already..."

"Viconia..." Leah let out a sigh, pushing down with her hips and trying to impale herself on the drow's nimble fingers, but Viconia would have none of it, withdrawing her digits. "Please..." the girl could not stop a needy whimper escaping her lips.

"You beg so prettily, pet," Viconia chuckled, teasingly licking Leah's earlobe from behind, the tender touch making the girl shudder. "What am I to do with you... I should not be so generous, but perhaps you do deserve a reward..."

"Yes... please..." Leah managed, slamming her hips downward and this time Viconia relented, her fingers pushing through the girl's soaked folds and sliding deep into Leah's searing hot center, immediately clenching down hard around the drow's fingers. Somehow, the girl managed to avoid crying out, probably from fear of alerting their companions in the adjacent rooms. She held her hips still, expecting Viconia to pick up the pace and begin thrusting with her fingers, whimpering when the dark elf did nothing. "Please?" Leah begged, her voice breaking from the cresting pleasure.

"Oh, I don't think so, pet," Viconia chuckled, pressing a delightfully sensual kiss against Leah's neck. "You were so eager to take your pleasure... well, go ahead and work for it..."

Leah groaned softly at the frustrating injustice, but could do nothing except to follow through with Viconia's suggestion. She began to roll her hips forward, thrusting up and down on the dark elf's fingers, Viconia holding her wrist completely steady. Tears were leaking from the corners of Leah's eyes with the effort of not crying out from the divine sensations she was receiving, especially when Viconia curled her digits a little, making it easier for her to hit a particularly sensitive spot on every downward thrust. Leah was quickly losing her struggle to hold back her release for as long as she could, embarrassed at how swiftly she always unraveled from Viconia's touch. The way in which the drow was kissing the pulse point on her neck was not helping the matters, either.

"Pet, you look so beautiful when you ride my fingers like that," Viconia whispered, her teasing words making Leah's head spin, nearly pushing her past the point of no return. From the way Leah's inner muscles were clenching down hard on her fingers, she could tell that the girl was very close to the breaking point, the drow intent on pushing her inexperienced lover over the edge as quickly as possible.

"Viconia... I need..." Leah whimpered, rocking her hips frantically against Viconia's hand, all coherent thought gone from her head, her senses overloaded by the overwhelming pleasure.

"You don't have to hold back, pet... and you don't have to keep quiet, either. The walls are thick... and the others are sound asleep..." Viconia purred, at the same time twisting her wrist a little so that the soft pad of her thumb caught Leah's throbbing clit on every downstroke, the teasing of the stiff little bud proving too much for the whimpering girl. "Come for me, Leah," the drow whispered harshly, the young Sorlyn immediately obeying the order and surrendering herself with a sharp cry as she rode out her orgasm, clenching hard around Viconia's fingers, the dark elf holding her tightly through the aftershocks, gently nibbling on the tender skin of her neck until Leah's trembling began to slowly subside following the powerful release.

"That was-..." Leah began to speak in a shaky voice, but she was quickly cut short by the sound of the doors opening and someone else stepping inside.

"Are you alright, Leah?" Jaheira's voice rang out from the darkness. "I thought I heard a scream."

"What? Oh... yes, I... I was a little distracted while... talking with Viconia..." Leah managed, silently thanking all the gods that Jaheira had not stopped to light a candle because the top buttons of her pants were still open and Viconia's fingers were still buried deep within her. Not to mention that her general appearance probably was extremely disheveled as well, following what Viconia had just done to her. Of course, Jaheira's part-elven ancestry allowed her to see very well in the dark, but at least both Leah and Viconia were facing her with their backs. "I thought I saw some kind of a shadow moving outside and it startled me. Probably just a vampire."

"I see," Jaheira said curtly. "Probably... just a vampire?"

"Uh... did I say vampire?" Leah laughed awkwardly, then having to painfully bite the inside of her cheek as Viconia withdrew her fingers in the most teasing way possible, the drow nimbly fastening the loose buttons of her pants before releasing her and stepping aside. "I, umm, meant a cat. Yes, a cat."

"Or perhaps a vampire cat?" Jaheira did not sound impressed, then turning towards Viconia. "And what are you doing here? I thought your shift ended an hour ago?"

"I could not sleep and came in here to talk with Leah," Viconia replied with an indifferent shrug. "As you just saw, the girl is so tired and sleepy that she is starting to see things."

"Then perhaps you should both return to our room and go to your beds," Jaheira spoke stiffly. "My shift is about to begin, and I can assure you that I do not require company or conversation to stay awake."

"Eh... sorry about that, Jaheira," Leah muttered, feeling foolish and embarrassed now that her searing desires had been satisfied. "Not my finest moment... I'd really appreciate if you could keep this to yourself."

"Of course," the druidess replied, a little more kindly now. "Now go and get some sleep."

"Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea," Leah nodded, starting on her path towards the doors, but then stumbling as her legs still felt as if made from jelly following the amazing orgasm that Viconia had given her. Fortunately, the drow was by her side and supported Leah before Jaheira had noticed and become suspicious.

"Something tells me that you really enjoyed that, little _jalil_ ," Viconia whispered as she closed the doors to the room serving as watchman's post, leaving Jaheira alone with her task.

"I definitely did..." Leah replied, warmth hitting her cheeks as she spoke. "I hope that I will soon have an opportunity to return the favor..."

"Oh, it's not like I did not enjoy myself during that," Viconia replied with a wink. She brought up the fingers that had been buried inside of her lover's wet heat, still glistening with Leah's wetness, and licked them teasingly, smiling blissfully as she enjoyed the taste. The image was so incredibly arousing that Leah simply could not look at Viconia or else she would feel forced to devour the beautiful drow on the spot.

"Well... the offer still stands..." Leah somehow managed to find the force of will to turn away and walk over to the large room where the four ladies of the group slept for the night. "Just... keep it in mind..."

"Oh... I will..." Viconia purred as she set to follow Leah. "I most definitely will..."

* * *

On the next morning, following an uneventful remainder of the night and a hearty breakfast at the Five Flagon Inn, the group of six set out on their next adventure. Along the way, Leah stopped at the guard post by the Bridge District gates and spent a few minutes relaying their findings to Lieutenant Aegisfield, making sure to present their suspicions regarding the tanner Rejiek in a logical way that the guardsman would find credible. And while Aegisfield understandably stated that without firm evidence he could not move against Rejiek just yet, the lieutenant agreed that the tanner definitely had to be observed closely, while making sure not to spook him and his potential accomplices.

The group of six reached the Order guildhouse after a short, swift walk, discovering that the others were already expecting them, sparing them the bothersome explanations at the entrance that every guest of the Order was subjected to. Onvo noticed them first, greeting the group, while Anomen stood a little to the side and conversed quietly with Lady Reyna, the other Solamnic Knight. Sir Keldorn was leaning against one of the large statues near the entrance, drawing slow puffs of smoke, as always inseparable from his pipe. He appeared almost unrecognizable in his oddly colored, bronze, almost orange-hued family armor, not looking all that comfortable when dragged out of his dusty office and thrown back into field work.

"So, is everyone ready for an idyllic trip to the sewers?" Leah addressed the group with a bright smile on her lips. "You know, one of my first thoughts after realizing we were in Athkatla was that at some point we were definitely going to explore the city sewers."

"Does that happen often during your adventures?" Onvo wondered. "I cannot imagine that you would willingly visit such foul places on your own volition."

"And yet, sooner or later we end up exploring the sewers anyway," Leah finished with a chuckle. "It is like a staple of the adventuring trade, I feel. A sort of an initiation ritual... you cannot call yourself a proper adventurer until you have explored at least several sewer systems."

"You are entirely too cheerful about this whole experience, you know," Viconia grumbled, giving Leah a dark stare.

"Oh, believe me, I find the entire experience absolutely revolting, but I think the only way to tolerate it is by approaching it light-heartedly," Leah shrugged. "Constantly reminding yourself how much you hate it all is bound to make it feel even worse than it actually is."

"That is the exactly right kind of attitude, young lady," Keldorn commended her, together with Minsc easily removing the iron grate covering the manhole which saw daily use by the local sewer cleaning crews. The old paladin peered down the dark hole, then quickly pulling away with a sour expression on his face. "That said... this pungent aroma is likely to erode your optimism in very short order..."

"I don't think it could be any worse than Baldur's Gate," Leah muttered, watching the ever fearless Minsc being the first one to climb down the manhole and then giving an encouraging shout for the others to follow him.

"Oh, believe me, it could easily be much worse," Jaheira snorted, standing next to her. "And remember, we already have had a look at the sewers of Athkatla." Leah gave her a blank stare, forcing the druidess to sigh and explain. "Our escape from the dungeon in which Irenicus held us led through sewers... do you not remember?"

"Ah... truth be told, I hardly remember anything about the surroundings during our escape," Leah mumbled apologetically. "I just wanted for us all to get out of there in one piece... I think we were all so desperate that we would have chewed our way through layers of muck just to be rid of that horrid place..."

"True enough," the druidess nodded, giving Leah's shoulder a nudge and prompting the girl to take her turn and follow Viconia down the manhole, the young Sorlyn caught and steadied on her feet by Minsc's powerful arms after she had released her hold on the metal ladder and dropped a few feet to stand ankle-deep in the foul smelling putrid dark mash that covered the ground of the remarkably wide passages of the Athkatlan sewers.

"So, young lovely... since you're the obvious expert on sewers... how do the Athkatlan sewers rank on the scale of one to ten?" Yoshimo asked cheekily after they all had descended down the manhole and taken their time to gather their bearings, which in this case meant becoming accustomed to the pungent, eye-watering smell.

"I'd give them about six, or seven," Leah shrugged. "So far they rank a little higher than the sewers of Baldur's Gate. The amount of carrion crawlers down there was giving me nightmares for months afterward."

"Minsc doesn't worry much about getting his boots dirty, but Boo certainly finds these sewers very rank," Minsc nodded sagely at Yoshimo.

"I'm sure we will run into some sewer dwellers that will endeavor to make this adventure even more exciting," Viconia added with an expressive roll of her eyes. "Such as the ogre mage and his entourage of crawlers, or Schlumpsha the Sewer King."

"Ugh, don't remind me, please," Leah groaned at the painful memories from their Baldur's Gate adventures.

In the end, Viconia's prediction proved painfully accurate, as the sewers proved to be far more heavily populated than such a dismal and foul-smelling place ought to be. First, they came upon another group of adventurers who had for some reason decided to make their camp down in the sewers with the idea of becoming rich by collecting a toll from the passersby, of which there surely were not many. The leader of these mercenaries was a particularly dim-witted dwarf, intent on extorting coin for passage from Leah's group as well, but fortunately at least one of his five comrades knew how to count to ten and informed the moronic dwarf that their odds when taking on these well armed adventurers who outnumbered them almost two to one ranged from miserable to doomed. The dwarf used his remaining sliver of sense to allow them to pass unmolested, his group then erupting in loud arguments about the hare-brained idea of collecting a toll in the sewers.

Next, instead of ogre magi and his carrion crawlers, Leah's group ran into a lone rakshasa accompanied by a flock of not particularly loyal kobolds. No matter how skilled spellcasters these rakshasa were, a single one could never stand up to a group of ten capable adventurers. Once the tiger-headed creature had gone down under their onslaught, the kobolds swiftly abandoned the fight and dispersed through the connecting sewer passages, Leah and her friends not bothering to give chase after the pathetic sewer rats.

"Lord Keldorn?" Leah finally asked after they had been walking around in what felt like circles for likely an hour at least. "The sewers under Athkatla must be massive. How can we hope to find where these cultists are taking their victims by stumbling around blindly?"

"Ah, but we are not stumbling around blindly, young lady," Keldorn replied with a brief smile. "The prophets led these new supplicants away through the Temple District manholes, we know as much from our sources. The sewer cleaners have also seen the cultists traversing these very passages. No, I am quite certain that the entrance to the cult's hideout is located under the Temple District, which is where we have confined our search thus far. We simply need a little slice of good fortune and we will find our targets."

"I suppose so," Leah shrugged. "Could the entrance be masked by magical means?" she wondered, sneaking a peak at Aerie and noticing how pale and shaken up the avariel looked, probably feeling very uncomfortable in these narrow spaces, and not simply because of the revolting smell.

"It is a possibility," Keldorn spoke, a flash of white and blue briefly surrounding the old paladin. "My lord Torm has granted me the ability to see through all but the most powerful enchantments. I should be able to recognize what we are looking for once we come across it."

"There are no footprints to trace in this muck, but perhaps you should still change into a mongrel dog and try to sniff out our missing supplicants?" Viconia asked, smirking at Jaheira.

"Or perhaps you should dunk your head in a vat of sewage, drow," Jaheira snapped back. "It might bring us the luck we sorely need to locate this illusive hideout."

"I think I'll pass on that, thank you, Jaheira," Viconia frowned, then stopping for a moment and listening intently, her keen elven ears picking up on some kind of faraway noise. "What's that... it sounds like a stream of rushing water?"

"I can hear it too," Aerie spoke up weakly. "It's coming from directly ahead of us."

It took a few minutes for the group of ten to reach the source of the sound, the passage they had been walking through together with countless others emptying in a massive collector, the underground river of sewage then escaping through another large opening some forty feet underneath. The level of sewage water in this pipe was clearly far too high to navigate, and so it was obvious that the cultists could not have escaped through it. There was a narrow walkway with a metal railing stretching around the large collector, connecting all the emptying pipes and upon further examination they could see several disused and partly collapsed passages below them, but the sewer cleaners had boarded off the access walkways leading to them... or so it seemed.

"I'll make Boo the best man at my eldest daughter's wedding if this isn't the place we're looking for," Keldorn said, the first one out on the walkway and starting to move towards the boarded off section, eager to examine it.

"Ooh, Boo, did you hear that? There's going to be a wedding and we're invited!" Minsc cheered, immediately setting after Keldorn.

"Lord Keldorn, you really oughtn't say such things to Minsc, he gets excited all too easily," Leah advised the older paladin, stepping carefully after the Rashemi ranger.

"A fair point, I will keep that in mind... but you really must stop all this 'Lord' nonsense, young lady," Keldorn grumbled at her. "Makes me feel even older than I actually am." He had by now arrived at the blocked off section and bent down to examine the wooden boards. "Ah, yes, just as I thought. It is simply a prop, not an actual barricade." With that, he simply pulled the boarded off section towards him and it parted just like a door, someone having skillfully removed all the nails on one side to allow an easy passage through the narrow gap, easily manageable as long as one wasn't outfitted with a beer belly like Bernard's back at the Copper Coronet.

Once past the faux-barricade, they had free path to continue around the narrow walkway surrounding the collector pit, leading downwards and past the openings of some of the abandoned passages, most of the disused tubes having collapsed long time ago, most... but not all of them.

"Look at that," Reyna, the Solamnic Knight, said while pointing at the ground in one of the large pipes which was clear from any kind of debris. Its bottom was dry and coated in a deep layer of dust and dirt, but it had been disturbed recently by countless pairs of differently sized boots stomping through this long abandoned part of the sewer system.

"Yes, I believe we have found where the cultists are taking their unfortunate victims," Keldorn agreed. "Now to see where this passage leads to..."

"How old are these passages, Keldorn?" Leah asked, falling into step with the paladin, finally remembering to forego his title of a lord. "Is their existence a common knowledge?"

"Definitely not common knowledge," Keldorn shook his head. "Athkatla is an old city, and in the bygone ages it has been destroyed and rebuilt over and over, directly atop of its own ruins. This sewer system is likely a remnant from one of the old cities, so it could be centuries old, if not more. How these cultists have learned of its existence… one can only guess."

The passages were not entirely safe, however, as they learned soon afterwards. A disgusting carrion crawler had somehow winded up in these tunnels, the lack of sewage to roll in putting the creature in a foul and hostile mood. It had been neatly sliced into ribbons by the swords of Leah's companions before it had managed to strike anyone with its disgustingly paralytic bite. Other inhabitants of the passages were undead wraiths and shadows, trying to ambush them now and then, but with so many clerics in their midst the undead creatures were easily repelled. Leah briefly wondered whether the undead did not bother the cultists as well, but it was possible that they had been summoned as guardians by this Unseeing Eye to protect its lair.

Having negotiated several more ambushes by the undead, the group of ten adventurers arrived at a strange looking round room, sturdy metal doors hanging wide open at both ends, an odd mechanical contraption in the middle of the room. Leah, Minsc and Anomen were the first ones to reach the mechanism, but before they could begin to examine it, a thunderous loud noise startled them all, the metal doors sealing shut and the room immediately filling with thick, acrid fumes that threatened to suffocate Leah and her friends.

"Help!" Aerie cried out, completely losing her wits from fear. "Someone do something!"

 _That's a great idea, but do what?_ Leah thought anxiously. _I could cast a spell to dissipate this stinking orange cloud, but if more gas continues to be pumped into the room, that's not really going to be helpful. We need to shut off the gas supply first... maybe that contraption in the center of the room is the key to this?_ Barely able to see anything in the thick, poisonous mist, Leah carefully picked her way to the center of the room and the mechanical contraption there, trying to hold her breath as she placed her hands on what felt like a large wheel. _I just hope this drains the fumes from the chamber instead of filling it with more poisonous gas,_ Leah thought to herself before starting to turn the heavily creaking wheel that refused to budge.

"Someone, come help me turn this wheel!" Leah cried out, realizing that she would be unable to do this all by herself. To make matters worse, she suddenly felt strangely numbing, painful ice-cold sensation starting to spread from her left side, making her feel as if all her strength had been somehow drained from her, making the young priestess feel sluggish and inexplicably weak as a kitten. Someone must have come to her aid, however, because she felt the wheel turning with a creaking sound, and shortly after it seemed as if the billowing cloud of acrid orange fumes was starting to diminish, meaning that the gas was being drained from the chamber. This was the right time to cast her spell and clear the remaining fumes with her divine magic, but as Leah began to chant the syllables of her spell, she was confronted with the unpleasant and surprising realization that the ability to call upon this particular divine spell had been somehow purged from her memory. "Get rid of those fumes, someone!" she called out, collapsing on her knees as she realized what had happened.

Jaheira reacted the first, the familiar rich scent of pine forest hitting Leah's nostrils once the druidess had completed her spell, immediately clearing the room from the remaining noxious gas. Still, that was not the end of their worries, the clearing of the fumes revealing that the ten adventurers were not the only ones in the deadly poison trap room. Aerie cried out with mixture of fright and disgust as she launched a spell at a partly corporeal creature of the mists that had wrapped itself around Minsc's upper body, draining the large ranger's lifeblood like a disgusting, massive leech. Struck with the avariel's magic, however, the creature released its victim and began to dissipate. Next to Leah, the young priestess saw Viconia releasing her hands from the large wheel and turning towards her with a determined stare, divine magic jumping from the drow's fingertips and cascading down in the form of a massive flamestrike, hitting something directly behind Leah, the girl realizing that it had to be the creature that had managed to so utterly drain all her strength and most of her divine powers.

"Vampiric mists," Leah remarked, sitting on the ground and trying to regain her breath. "Nasty."

"You have been drained," Viconia stated, looking at her intently.

"So has Minsc," Leah replied, looking over at the Rashemi, leaning heavily against the wall and looking confused at what had happened. He also appeared somehow smaller and less intimidating, extraordinary amounts of sweat pouring from his brow as he struggled to remain upright.

"This will require restoration," Jaheira said, coming up to them. "We cannot carry you both around as you are right now."

"I can fix this, I have the spell myself," Leah replied, searching her mind for the knowledge of the rarely used restoration spell, quickly realizing that it had dissipated along with most of her divine energy drained by the vampiric mist. "Blast it... no, I can't," she admitted quietly.

"Let me," Viconia said, dropping down on her knees next to Leah and beginning to chant, Leah too weak to stop her from casting the spell that would make the drow herself more than a little exhausted.

"I will aid Minsc," Anomen offered, almost as if waiting for someone to stop him from making this noble sacrifice, but nobody stepped up to do so since Aerie and Jaheira had not even memorized the restoration spell. Following some brief hesitation, Anomen approached Minsc and with a quick chant restored the gentle giant back to full health and energy.

"A most devious trap, I have to say," Yoshimo remarked while the rest of the group were still recovering and gathering their bearings, the Easterner examining the valves through which the gas had been pumped into the chamber. "I wonder how many lives it has claimed..."

"It does not bear thinking about, my friend," Onvo spoke grimly, looking thoughtful. "I suppose the prophets of this Unseeing Eye have a way to prevent it from triggering when they are bringing in the supplicants. A very ingenious way to stop anyone without the approval of the Unseeing Eye from entering."

"Or leaving," Reyna remarked ponderously. "It would work equally well to stop those wishing to flee this dreadful cult."

"Ugh, that is a very unpleasant thought," Leah shuddered, getting back up to her feet and then helping Viconia to rise as well, wordlessly taking some of the drow's possessions to carry and lighten her load.

"It seems that there is a welcoming committee waiting to meet us outside of the chamber," Keldorn remarked, peering through the doors, both entrances having been opened by manipulating the massive wheel. "If you are ready, Leah, we should proceed and find out their intentions."

"Of course," Leah shot a quick smile at Viconia, releasing the drow's hand and hurrying over to Keldorn's side, together with the old paladin being the first to leave the trapped gas chamber and facing the cultists that had gathered to meet them.

"Hold!" one of the cultists, an eyeless man with graying hair on his temples, standing tall and imperious, shouted at them. "You tread on sacred ground! Only those who serve the Unseeing Eye may enter. I am Gaal, High Priest of the One God."

Leah briefly pondered her reply, feeling a little surprised that Keldorn remained silent, allowing her to take lead. The cultists numbered around ten, as large group as theirs, but behind this smaller room where the High Priest was currently interrogating them, Leah could see a massive round pit, cultists swarming around it in great numbers. Leah was surprised to see that not all of them were eyeless, but she did not want to underestimate the blinded ones either. If this Unseeing Eye was a truly powerful creature, who knew what sort of gifts it had bestowed upon its followers. And perhaps there was a way to deal with this evil at its root without assaulting it head on, which was never Leah's favored method of resolving problems.

"We are simple adventurers, having stumbled here by sheer accident," she lied easily. "Perhaps you could tell us about this Unseeing Eye of yours?"

"The Unseeing Eye has brought us enlightenment," Gaal replied in the practiced voice of a falsehood spinner. "Only by removing our eyes can we remove the veil of lies and deceit clouding our lives. He is the most ancient and wise of the race you might know as 'beholders'." Leah and Keldorn exchanged grim stares at that. Beholder cults were not unheard of, and uprooting them was always an extremely tedious and dangerous undertaking. "We servants have flocked to him gladly, and his mighty power protects us. You would be wise to serve him as we do."

"An eye tyrant without his eyes?" Viconia spoke up, facing Gaal with a stare full of contempt. "What sort of power could a creature like that possess?"

"Without his eyes, the One God is stronger, not weaker," Gaal returned proudly. "He has made mountains tremble and easily destroyed all those fools who have come seeking his destruction. Only those who serve Him are safe always."

"Hmm…" Leah mused thoughtfully, an idea forming in her head. "I see amongst you some whose eyes have not been removed. We would be interested in joining if we could retain our eyes where they are, in their sockets."

"It is a sign of weakness to refuse the enlightenment," Gaal said slowly. "Would you walk about willingly without arms, without feet? I do not think so," he shook his head, about to say more, when a shrill scream from the large pit behind them interrupted his words. "Ah, the initiation ceremony..." the High Priest remarked, sounding pleased. "Judging by the screams of this supplicant, they will likely be found unworthy and cast into the Pit of the Faithless."

Leah felt sick as she watched the ceremony that was taking place on a small, elevated platform above the pit, at what seemed to be a makeshift altar of the Unseeing Eye. A gleeful looking priest was vigorously carving out the eyes from the sockets of a screaming middle aged woman, showers of blood flying everywhere as the mad cultist worked the knife with gusto, ignoring the woman's screams. The sight was too much for Aerie, the avariel fainting with a weak sigh, Onvo managing to catch her in the last moment before she fell. Once the cultist priest was done with the procedure, the woman staggered on her feet, succumbing to the intense pain as she fell to her knees. The gesture of weakness and lack of stamina was apparently offensive to the Unseeing Eye, the cultist unleashing a mighty kick with his foot that hit the woman square on her mouth and sent her careening over the edge and into the pit, her screams seemingly lasting forever as she fell to her death in the dark oblivion.

"Of course, not everyone is fit to serve the Unseeing Eye, so I understand your hesitation," Gaal continued with a satisfied grin on his lips. "Still, the Unseeing Eye could use the skills of one such as yourself. An exception could, perhaps, be made in your case. There is... something that you could do that the great one cannot, despite His vast power. Assist in that and I will admit you into our ranks and into the Unseeing One's presence, yes?"

 _Hmm, an opportunity to learn what this beholder is after... I think that would be preferable and smarter than trying to face dozens of these mad cultists head on._ "Tell me what it is that the Unseeing Eye desires, High Priest," Leah urged.

"These holy grounds are part of a larger, ancient structure... dangerous if one ventures into the lower levels. The Unseeing Eye knows of a valuable item in this area," Gaal explained. "If you were to venture below you could prove your worth by retrieving this artifact for Him. Do this and I will allow you into our ranks and the One's divine presence."

_Even more structures under these abandoned tunnels? I wonder how old they must be! And there is something that this beholder wants to get its... tentacles upon? If it wants this artifact so badly, it probably means that we should do what we can to ensure the opposite outcome. I don't think this Unseeing Eye needs to become even more powerful than it already seems to be._

"Very well, High Priest Gaal," Leah said, trying her best to sound earnest, the priest nodding approvingly at her words. "We shall do as you suggest."

_And afterwards, we're hopefully going to return to wipe your sick cult off the face of Faerun..._


	39. Chapter 39

The instructions provided by High Priest Gaal required Leah's group of adventurers to backtrack nearly all the way to the entrance of the abandoned sewer passage, before forcing them to take another wide drainage pipe which led to a magically sealed gate to the inner chambers of some kind of supposedly ancient structure. Somewhere at the bowels of this ancient complex, the item that the undead beholder was after, half of a magical rod of some sort, rested upon a holy altar. Exactly what this magical rod was supposed to be capable of, or to what faith the holy altar belonged, these important questions went unanswered. Gaal had only told them that their faith would be their guide, and since Leah and her friends metaphorically spat on everything the Unseeing Eye stood for, it evidently meant that they were condemned to stumbling around blindly until they found the rod the beholder was after.

The group had to take frequent stops on the way, almost every quarter of an hour, just to allow Viconia and Anomen to rest after they had exhausted themselves by casting the restoration spell. While the two clerics took their time to regain their breath, the rest of the group scattered to search the ancient passageways, exploring every nook and cranny to make sure nothing slipped their attention.

"I apologize for being a source of inconvenience, my Lady," Anomen addressed Leah during one such break, Viconia sitting some distance away and out of the earshot, conversing with Reyna while the rest of the party were wandering about in small groups of two or three.

"Really, Anomen, if anyone should be apologizing it should be me and Minsc for falling prey to those irritating creatures," Leah replied, busily chewing on a fresh loaf of bread. She had bought it earlier that morning on their way to the guildhall, but annoyingly it had managed to take on the aroma of the sewers despite having been tightly wrapped in clean cloth.

"Perhaps we can agree then that nobody has to apologize over this," Anomen offered with a smile, receiving a quick nod. "My Lady..." he began to speak, looking a little uncertain. "So much has happened as of late... my heart is heavy with various important matters, and I would value to receive your counsel... alas, the opportunities for talking have been scarce, and I fear our current circumstance is far from ideal."

"I'm afraid so," Leah agreed. While she earnestly wanted to help Anomen endure through this difficult time in his life, she was afraid that the conversation would stray to what had happened between them in Trademeet. Considering the progression of her relationship with Viconia, Leah knew that sooner or later she would have to break Anomen's heart, but she did not want to do so now, not when the young squire's heart was still raw and bleeding from the other blows it had received recently.

"Still, there is... something that I would like to speak with you of, and please do not deny me this opportunity because it is important for me to know," the Helmite spoke up, looking a little bit desperate. "I... made no secret about harboring tender feelings for you, my Lady Leah, and… and before these news of my sister's death arrived, I thought that... that you were starting to reciprocate these feelings. But after everything that has happened... my Lady, I want you to know that I would understand completely if your opinion of me would have soured so much that... well, that you would not want to continue on this path..."

Leah stopped chewing and swallowed the suddenly uncomfortable lump of bread in her mouth, licking her lips as she thoughtfully considered her reply. "I'm sorry, Anomen, but... yes, I think that right now it would be best if we were to remain friends," she finally said, carefully observing the expression on Anomen's face, the Helmite fortunately not looking as devastated as she had feared he would be. "This is not because my opinion of you has decreased due to the recent events."

"Please, Leah, you don't have to spare me," Anomen looked up at her with an earnest stare. "I know that I deserve contempt and worse."

"But what I'm saying is true and not merely platitudes," Leah protested. "You made a mistake, several of them, yes, but I have made my own share of mistakes, and I wouldn't want to be a hypocrite and condemn you for acting rashly. Milil knows, Jaheira could tell you a lot about my shortcomings from our travels around the Sword Coast."

"Why, then, are you turning me down?" Anomen asked frankly.

"I... don't think we both are ready for this," Leah said, frantically trying to think of some kind of a painless excuse. "I have my own share of problems, and you... well, I think you simply need to master your temper, Anomen. You are a good man, I truly believe that, but your emotions tend to get you into trouble. Having met Lord Cor, I finally see where your temper comes from... which is an even bigger reason for you to control it."

"Aye... aye, you have the right of it, my Lady," Anomen acceded, lowering his eyes. "Until I master my temper, as you so rightly said, I cannot be relied upon. That is the harsh and painful truth, but I acknowledge it fully. I will do as you say, then, my Lady, and I will work on controlling these fits of rage that sometimes grip me so hard that all voice of reason abandons my thoughts," the young Helmite spoke resolutely. "Perhaps... perhaps one day I will grow into a man that you could see yourself standing next to, not merely as a friend, but... well, perhaps as something more..."

"Perhaps, but Anomen... don't do this for me," Leah smiled, putting her hand on the squire's shoulder. "Do it for yourself."

As Leah turned to walk away, feeling partly relieved, partly surprised that Anomen had taken it all so comparatively well, she saw the rest of the group returning from their little scouting mission, Yoshimo walking at the front and gesticulating to her excitedly.

"We found something, Leah," the Easterner rogue spoke up, pointing in the direction from which they had come from. "A large hall, full with more of these eyeless."

"More cultists?" Leah wondered, then catching herself. "But wait, Gaal said nothing about them, and he would have mentioned some of his lackeys currently exploring these inner chambers. We best go and talk to these people... they did not appear hostile, did they?"

"Hardly, some of them were not even armed," Onvo replied. "The place seemed like a retreat, a community simply going about its business and wanting to be left alone."

"Down here?" Viconia wondered. "One wonders how these eyeless ones even survive. Their twisted faith might provide them with sustenance for their rotting minds, but it does not fill their bellies."

"I guess we can ask them that as well," Leah smiled, taking her place at the head of the group and leading the others down the corridor towards the hall where Yoshimo had been the first to spot the odd congregation of the eyeless cultists.

Eyeless though they might be, their lack of sight appeared to be compensated by their other senses being sharper, the cultists detecting them as soon as they entered the dark chamber and faced at least a dozen of the beholder's servants. "Be wary, my friends!" an elderly, starved looking man called out. "Someone has come before us, I can sense it!"

"We are a group of intrepid adventurers and we mean you no harm," Leah announced, once again taking the reins of the conversation. "What are you doing here, why are you not with the rest of the faithful back at the compound?"

"Because we are faithful no more, my Lady," the ragged old man explained. "However, in our wretched state, we are unable to find our way back to the surface. So we remain here... in relative safety. You should not be down here anymore than we should, my Lady... this is no place for decent folk."

"By the gods, man, how do you survive in this gloomy pit?" Anomen wondered, looking dismayed. "Was your escape recent? How are you all not dead from starvation?"

"Sense of time has abandoned us, but I have been here for what feels like an eternity," the leader of the refugees explained. "We all took what provisions we could when we escaped... and we still have friends back at the compound. They constantly risk their lives on our behalf, trying to smuggle food for us. Of course... there is never enough. Perhaps... once your business here is concluded... you might consent to escort us to the surface? We have nothing to offer you as a reward, but..."

"No reward will be necessary," Keldorn spoke sternly, nobody daring to as much as frown at that, not even Viconia. "We will most certainly aid you as soon as we have located the artifact that this despicable beholder wants us to retrieve."

"Of course it wants you to do that," the old man sighed, shaking his head. "And I do not believe that Gaal has told you a single thing about what exactly you are fetching for his abominable deity."

"Not much, except that the beholder himself cannot take the item... despite supposedly having godly powers. That doesn't reflect very well upon its greatness, now does it," Leah scowled. "Oh, and we know that it is only a half of some kind of a magical rod."

"Quite so, cursed by the very gods themselves, which is why the beholder cannot take it himself," the ex-cultist explained. "This lets you determine the artifact's true worth... or threat, does it not?"

"It most certainly does," Viconia spoke up. "How are we supposed to deal with ancient divine curses? I say we should simply turn around, head back to the compound and slaughter this Gaal and his flock of mindless _rothé_."

"No, no, you must not do that, the Unseeing Eye will surely destroy you all if you attack the cult directly!" the old man sounded frantic and upset as he spoke. "There is a way to deal with the beholder and his cultists... difficult as it might be. Please... gather round... take seats, and allow me to explain from the start..."

The group spent the next half an hour by the listening to the old man, Sassar, also the former high priest of the One God, doing his best to explain the intricate details of their task and the precarious situation in which they found themselves in. It appeared that the entire purpose of the Unseeing Eye's appearance in Athkatla was purely due to its intentions to acquire the powerful artifact below. The cult was merely a sham, its followers simply tools in this task, countless dozens already having been sent into the depths below on doomed attempts, most of which had ended in grisly deaths. Sassar claimed that the item itself was of such destructive power that the gods themselves had determined that it was never to be used again, so it had been split in two and one half secured in an ancient temple below. Sassar could not say what the protections in the temple might be, but it was clear that it would not be as simple as waltzing in, swiping the rod and carrying it out. At Viconia's reasonable inquiry as to why risk retrieving the artifact when it was so well protected already, Sassar replied that the Unseeing Eye already possessed the other half of the rod, and thus, it was too risky to simply leave the artifact at the temple, for one day a more fortunate cultist might succeed in retrieving the second half, giving the undead beholder the means to wreak terrible destruction upon the unsuspecting people of Amn.

The plan that Sassar proposed to them was surely as amazing as it was insane. Leah was not sure whether she believed the assertion that the beholder could only be destroyed by the assembled rod, but on the other hand, she certainly did not want to test this theory by taking on the beholder without the rod and getting obliterated by its powerful magic. Thus, their task quickly became twice as dangerous, for now they did not simply need to get the half from the ancient temple, they also needed to steal the other half of the rod that the beholder already possessed. Sassar claimed to be able to help with that, but frustratingly refused to say more until they had proved their good intentions by retrieving the first half of the rod.

"Well... that became overly complicated in a hurry," Leah sighed, looking at Keldorn, but the old paladin appeared too distracted to respond, currently examining an ancient looking sarcophagus at the far end of the hall, concern etched on his crease-lined face. "What are you looking at there, Keldorn?" she called out to the Inquisitor.

"Has anyone meddled with this sarcophagus?" instead Keldorn turned to ask Sassar and his fellows, ignoring Leah for the moment.

"No, my Lord," Sassar replied humbly. "These halls appear safe, but we stay away from that sarcophagus all the same. Some of the men are a little spooked by it and claim that it stores something evil."

"They would be correct in suspecting that," Keldorn replied gruffly, blinding divine magic surrounding his hands as after a brief chant a glowing rune appeared on the lid of the dust-covered coffin. "This sarcophagus contains a lich, my friends. We currently have no time to deal with it, so I will simply add some extra protection, a ward to make sure that it does not escape on its own. In the meantime, I ask that nobody touches or even approaches the sarcophagus. I will return to deal with it later together with my fellow knights."

"We would be happy to help, Lord Keldorn," Reyna volunteered quickly, Onvo nodding in agreement. "Onvo and I have both received specialized training that makes us particularly effective in dealing with those practicing foul and corruptive magic."

"Then your aid will be greatly appreciated," Keldorn smiled at the Solamnic Knights before turning to Leah. "Well, young lady, shall we continue with this... incredibly complicated venture?" he asked, surprising Leah with a cheeky wink that she would have never expected from the supposedly permanently grim paladin.

"Do we have any choice in the matter?" Leah grumbled as they bid their farewells to Sassar and his hopeful fellow eyeless, then passing by the ominous looking lich sarcophagus and advancing down a dark passageway that was supposed to lead them to the forgotten temple, holding the ancient rod that the Unseeing Eye coveted. Now that Leah had heard about all the complications that made their task all the more challenging, Anomen and Viconia's condition became a much greater concern to her, but she knew that both of them would protest vehemently should she suggest stopping for rest already. Still, as Leah led her group through the darkened corridors, following Yoshimo, as always scouting ahead for traps and dangers of any kind, she resolved to keep an eye on her two fellow priests, determined not to endanger their lives on this mission that was already shaping up to be more complicated than they had all imagined.

* * *

For a while, the path led them along meandering passageways, until they arrived at a circular stairway that ran around the edges of yet another massive collector pit, this one completely empty and not having seen a drop of sewage for centuries, much to everyone's delight. They had to take great care climbing down the stairway, for apparently it was from an era so bygone that the concept of railings had not yet been invented, and a misstep would result in a fall from the height of as much as forty feet, likely causing fatal injuries. Once they carefully arrived at the bottom of the pit, however, they all remained standing there with their mouths agape as they faced the unexpected and fascinating scenery that opened before their eyes.

They had arrived in a massive cavern that was surely man made, perhaps something that had once been a part of the first city of Athkatla, but the style of craftsmanship was of a kind that was nowhere to be found in the capital of this day and age. Studies of history were amongst Leah's favorite pastimes back in Candlekeep, but even with her advanced knowledge she struggled to pin down exactly what the architecture reminded her of, the structures of massive, unnecessarily grandiose state, not built purely for functional reasons, but also to intimidate and impress. _It's almost like dwarven rock carving in its solidity,_ Leah mused to herself. _But the intricate patterns, the symbolism and the elaborate style... where have I seen it before? There was that book on ancient Netheril I once read... the one that Ulraunt tried to take away from me as reading 'not suited' for someone like me... the buildings there almost looked a bit like these, but... could it be? I can't remember if ancient Netheril stretched as far as Amn in its glory days... perhaps it did at that._

On the left side of the large cavern, there stood four statues of massive creatures that Leah did not recognize, large blue patterned columns stretching from their mouths to the floor of the cavern, almost making it appear as if the mysterious creatures were drinking something with enormous straws. As Leah stepped a little closer to investigate, however, she immediately noticed that the columns served more than just decorative purpose, one of them had suffered damage that allowed her to peek inside and notice that the column was hollow, the young priestess realizing that this magnificent creation was also a practical part of the old city's water supply. _Amazing… the wonders that these ancient builders were able to accomplish. I have not seen anything this impressive in either Baldur's Gate or Athkatla of this day and age._

"I would advise against disturbing these statues," Leah was shaken out of her reverie by Keldorn's warning voice nearby, the old paladin frowning at Yoshimo's attempts to try and open the mouth of another massive and imposing statue of some kind of a guardian figure, directly opposite to the entrance of the cavern.

"Be at ease, paladin Keldorn," Yoshimo returned mirthfully, carefully manipulating the narrow gap between the statue's teeth with his dagger, trying to pry it open. "I am not advising you how to better hunt down those wicked and corrupt, perhaps you should extend me the same courtesy and allow me to do my job."

"It was not intended as a slight upon your impressive skills, Master Yoshimo," Keldorn raised his hand as a peace offering. "I am simply... concerned, given the age of these buildings. If the builders have left behind any traps, they might be of the kind none of us have seen before."

"With all due respect, good paladin, I have seen more traps than all of you combined across your lifetimes," Yoshimo replied, not stopping in his efforts to pry the statue's mouth open. "I can assure you, all traps, ancient or new, are fundamentally similar."

"The size of this place is... incredible... I wonder who built it?" Aerie exclaimed, looking around with mouth agape in wonder. "How can something like this exist under Athkatla... without anyone knowing about it? "

"More importantly, perhaps this knowledge is worth something to the right person," Viconia remarked, earning a few disapproving stares, but most certainly not from Leah who was already thinking something along those lines herself.

"Ah, there we go!" Yoshimo's exclamation alerted everyone's attention, turning around to face the rogue, poking inside the now opened mouth of the statue and producing a shining, polished, star-shaped gem. "This has to be worth something, wouldn't you say, my dear doubters?"

Before anyone could reply, however, they were all startled by the statue's mouth suddenly twisting into a horrific grimace, letting out an ear splitting scream, wave of ancient, malevolent magic washing over the group. Leah felt frozen for what felt an immeasurable amount of time, paralyzed by the ancient spell, drawing upon her greatest fears, urging her to drop her weapons and run, to abandon this place and to never return. Still, somehow she managed to wrestle her fears back under control, shaking off the effects of the ancient magic, her head slowly starting to clear. Once she managed to recover, Leah immediately found herself thrown into a heated battle, her comrades already engaging a small horde of angry giant spiders and an assortment of various shade-like creatures, similar to the ones that had drained her and Minsc earlier.

Fortunately, these shadows did not appear quite as irritating and fell reasonably swiftly, together with the aggressive spiders, their chitin covered carapaces swiftly slashed by their swords, digging deep into the spider guts with disgusting, wet squelching sounds. It did not take long for the ambushing creatures to be routed, only for the group to be faced with a surprising and unpleasant discovery.

"Wait a moment..." Leah frowned, looking over the group that appeared strangely depleted. "Where's Anomen? And Aerie?"

"I do not see Yoshimo either," Jaheira remarked. "Nor can I spot Reyna... where is your friend, Onvo?"

The remaining Solamnic Knight looked as confused as the rest of them. "I do not know, Jaheira," he eventually replied with a shrug. "She must have been overcome by that vile spell. It nearly forced me to flee as well, but I was able to resist it just barely."

"Yes, it was... most unpleasant," Viconia admitted. "It took all my willpower to overcome the spell. It is no wonder that our more weak-willed companions have scattered as a result."

"Not necessarily weak-willed, but... I understand the point you're making," Leah corrected the drow.

"Minsc does not understand what evil spell everyone is talking about," the large ranger appeared greatly confused. "But little Aerie and the others are missing, and we must find them!"

Leah looked around the great cavern, failing to spot any sign of their missing comrades. "Hmm… I don't think they could have gone back the way we used to come here. They would not have been able to manage that climb while not being in control of their senses. And that means we must keep pushing forward to find them."

"Yes, but... which way?" Onvo asked, turning to look to the right where multiple paths converged amongst the rubble of many structures that had succumbed to the passage of time.

"We will simply have to choose one path and follow it," Jaheira said decisively. "It would be most unwise to separate now that the group is already depleted. Hopefully the path we choose will lead us to our destination, and to our friends as well."

"For once I can't argue with Jaheira's plan," Viconia nodded. With all of them in agreement, the group swiftly proceeded on their way, Leah choosing the leftmost, widest passage amongst the crumbling structures, believing that it was the likeliest path through which their fear-consumed friends would have fled the scene.

"Of course, now we have lost our rogue and the ability to scout forward," Onvo remarked a little sourly, peering ahead with his eyes narrowed, but the curving passageway did not allow them to spy what sort of danger lurked around the next corner.

"I believe that he has already proved his uselessness," Viconia snorted, a clear indication that she intended to make Yoshimo's life miserable for a long time following his embarrassing gaffe that had caused this dangerous inconvenience.

"And we also need little Aerie's mighty magic!" Minsc exclaimed amongst Boo's excited squeaks.

"This group could do with a more experienced mage," Viconia remarked at that. "I don't believe that Nalia would have held her nerve any better than the wingless one. Edwin might be a completely selfish bastard, but he would not have fled at the effects of this spell. There was not much that could put fear into the Thayan."

"Edwin is no longer an option, but overall I cannot fault your sentiment, Viconia," Jaheira agreed, making it the second time in a few minutes when the two previously irreconcilable opponents had agreed, leading Leah to start thinking that perhaps the end of days was upon them all.

"Let's not dismiss Aerie that quickly," Leah offered in a way of reconciliation, noticing that Minsc was looking unhappy about the others speaking less than flatteringly about his avariel charge. At Leah's words, however, the large ranger smiled approvingly, appearing pleased.

Any further conversation was cut off suddenly when they turned around the next corner, Onvo quickly tackling both Leah and Jaheira to the ground when the Solamnic Knight was the first to spot the danger ahead of them. Behind their backs, Viconia and Keldorn reacted quickly, pulling Minsc into retreating with them, Onvo, Jaheira and Leah crawling backwards and scampering to safety with the others.

"Milil preserve us, were those actual beholders?" Leah gasped, having just noticed the floating monstrosities with the corner of her eye. "Probably minions of the Unseeing Eye, and I doubt they have received the memo to let us pass… so how are we going to get around them?"

"Those were definitely not adult beholders," Viconia spoke up. "I only had a moment to spare on observing them, but I think they were what you surfacers call 'gauth', the lesser cousins of true beholders. Formidable foes, nonetheless."

"Just wonderful," Leah sighed. _Especially when the composition of the group that is left at my disposal only allows for one strategy... charge 'em and smash 'em in the face…_ "This is really going to sting, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," Jaheira said confidently, beginning a quiet summoning chant. At the end of her spellcasting, the ground appeared to shake and part a little, a glowing creature of molten flame crawling out as if from the bowels of earth itself, an obedient fire elemental taking place at the side of its mistress. "The elemental should be sufficiently resistant to the magical attacks of these gauth. Perhaps it can distract the gauth long enough for us to sneak upon them and dispose of them with ease."

"It is not a bad plan, Jaheira, but I think I can improve upon it further," Viconia remarked, after having carefully peered around the corner for a while. "I can see a group of undead further along the passage. I doubt they are servants of this Unseeing Eye, unlike the gauth. If your elemental can distract the gauth, I could sneak closer to the undead, take control of some of them and have them engage the gauth."

"That sounds very risky," Leah frowned, taking her turn to peer around the corner. It didn't take long for the young priestess to realize that a direct charge would be disastrous. The path forward led through a large gazebo that had been split open by a wide chasm, narrow wooden plank thrown across the chasm to form a makeshift bridge. Only one person would be able to pass at a time, meaning that the gauth could easily pick them off one by one. The elemental with its hopefully effective resistance against the gauth magic would stand a much better chance than any of them.

"So, mighty leader, do you approve of my plan?" Viconia winked at Leah after she had retreated back to safety.

"I find myself reluctantly forced to agree," Leah sighed, then nodding at Jaheira. "Send the elemental in once we're good to go."

The preparations did not take long; everyone was more or less ready, Leah casting a pair of protective spells that would hopefully aid Viconia in her still drained state from having cast the restoration spell on the young Sorlyn. After Leah gave the command, the fire elemental charged in and made it all the way across the bridge before the gauth spotted it, the minions of the Unseeing Eye mostly focusing on watching the intentions of the nearby undead. As the elemental engaged the gauth, Viconia quickly followed it, uncharacteristically nearly losing her balance while crossing the makeshift bridge, a sign of just how exhausted she was. While Leah's heart was still bouncing wildly in her chest from watching her lover struggling to get across the narrow bridge, the Drow had already moved close enough to the group of undead to withdraw the holy symbol of Shar and a brief chant later, several of the shades and zombies separated from the pack and proceeded towards the gauth who were in the process of finishing off the hapless elemental decoy. The rest of the undead set to follow their controlled fellows, and shortly afterwards a pack of zombies, skeletons and shades fell upon the unsuspecting gauth, the battleground erupting in chaotic melee.

Leah fought her impatience to run across the chasm and immediately engage the enemy, instead waiting for the undead and the gauth to weaken each other as much as possible. The undead went down easily under the magical gauth attacks, skeletons crumbling into dust, shades fading out of the existence, zombies lasting the longest but the wounding rays of the gauth charred their flesh, eventually bringing them down. The gauth, however, paid a heavy price in the frantic melee, the undead tearing off their eyestalks, clawed hands snapping at the bulbous floating frames and easily tearing off gory pieces of beholder flesh. When Leah finally gave the command to charge, there were only three zombies and two badly wounded gauth remaining, one of them without a single eyestalk left, blinded and panicking. Their patience and smart planning had resulted in one of the easiest battles ever; neither of them picking up as much as a scratch by the time the last zombie went down in a squelching heap.

Ironically, they suffered more injuries while simply walking down the path that had been guarded by the undead. In Yoshimo's absence, none of them spotted a traitorous pressure plate, Minsc stepping on it and releasing a spray of arrows that caught Onvo just above his hip and Leah catching one in her thigh. Having healed this painful annoyance, the group continued on their way, thankful for no more interruptions either in the form of traps or enemies, the party of six emerging from the winding passageway to face yet more unexpected and most impressive sights. Before them was another wide-open cavern, in the middle of which stood an elaborate temple-like structure shaped by the same hands that had crafted the massive statues they had encountered earlier. The cavern had been artificially flooded with water, creating a maze of stone paths leading up towards the central temple, but two passageways led off to the sides and towards smaller, but equally impressive and generously decorated mausoleums.

"It seems as if we have reached our destination," Leah said, eyeing the temple cautiously, something about it striking her as familiar.

"Be careful, young lady," Keldorn advised warningly. "I can see the guardians of the temple massing around the entrance. They may prove hostile, especially upon learning our intentions."

"They almost look like those... zombies, we just faced," Onvo remarked, having watched the guardians for a while. The observation was accurate, Leah conceded as much, the men, women and children at the temple entrance appeared... odd, their faces sunken, in the color of ash, as if eroded by some kind of lingering disease. Still, when they moved, their steps were different from the slow shuffle of the zombies, which seemed to indicate that these guardians might not be living dead... although, whether they were actually living was very much doubtful.

As Leah and her friends carefully approached the entrance and its guardians, they were completely astounded at the lack of reaction from the apathetic, diseased looking folk. It seemed as if they were not in the slightest opposed to Leah and her friends entering the temple, which in turn made the young priestess wary, suddenly thinking that perhaps she was leading her friends into some kind of an elaborate trap. So, despite her better judgment, Leah stopped in her tracks, ignored the bewildered stares of her companions and walked up to one of the guardians, an elderly male who looked as if he might have been in charge once, but no longer cared about what was supposed to be a great honor.

"Excuse me, sir," Leah addressed the man who met her stare with an apathetic disregard. "Can you tell me more about the nature of this place? And this temple, to whom does it belong?"

"Ah. Someone has come wishing for the exposition," the man droned on in a completely disinterested voice. "Typical. I should really write it down so I don't have to keep repeating it. Fortunately only few of the visitors make it this far." The apathetic fellow fell into a fit of coughs and spat out a nearly black glob of phlegm before continuing. "We are the guardians. We guard the temple. It is very important because every few hundred years someone inevitably wanders this way... but we have forgotten what it is that we guard, we have forgotten for how many generations we have been here, and we have forgotten what it is to have a purpose. Our minds and souls have decayed as we grow to hate the power that sustains us, and it rots us from the inside. But there is no cure, there is no escape... and there is no end."

"It sounds as if they are bound into the service of a long faded deity," Viconia remarked, stepping forth to stand at Leah's side. "A truly pathetic and miserable fate."

"Ah, someone who understands," the man spoke, with almost a spark of emotion, but not quite. "Yes, that is why we cannot leave, we cannot even die. We are born again in an endless recycling of our souls. We learn over and over again that we are condemned to a fate we no longer want."

"And you truly do not remember the name of the god that you are still serving even now?" Leah asked, a little incredulously.

"Why would we care?" the apathetic man shrugged. "It has been so long since we have uttered the god's name that it has been forgotten by most. What loyalty do we owe to a creature that would condemn us to this?"

"Then you should have chosen a different deity to follow," Viconia did not appear too sympathetic. "I imagine that you were only too happy to take the gifts of your god and benefit from it when he still had power to share. If you did not know what awaits you when your deity faded into obscurity, you have only yourselves to blame for what has happened."

"True enough," the man nodded. "The deal which placed us here has been followed to the letter, and we are never to be released from service no matter how pointless the task. We knew that it would be our fate, but that doesn't mean we can't be bitter and complain about it. Instead of prayers and petitions, the only thing that is directed at this temple is loathing."

"Does your deal also asks you to prevent us from entering the temple... and perhaps removing something from it?" Leah asked.

"Take what you will," the disinterested man shrugged. "We are guardians in name only. We might as well be mindless skeletons."

"I see," Leah spoke thoughtfully. _Harsh on these people, but I suppose good for us. I wonder if we can do something for them... but it can't be our priority. We need to recover that rod and take care of the Unseeing Eye._

As the group once again gathered at the entrance, Leah noticed that Jaheira had just finished speaking with a little girl standing slightly apart from the other diseased, the druidess swiftly walking back to the group and looking concerned. "Did you learn anything important?" Leah asked impatiently.

"Perhaps," Jaheira shrugged. "They all, even the young ones, speak so cryptically that it is downright annoying."

"'Tis truly a dismal fate that has befallen these people," Keldorn sighed, looking rather upset. "What sort of god would want something like this for his followers?"

"Someone who has faded or died, and no longer cares?" Leah pointed out, turning to look at Jaheira again. "Anyway, what did you learn?"

"I think we should be very careful when entering the temple," the druidess replied. "The girl spoke of something that they created inside the temple… something that we will be able to see, but won't be able to fight. I could not understand what she spoke of... a creature of some sort, maybe? Or perhaps a spirit?"

"Hmm… I don't think we'll get a straight answer from these people, I'm afraid," Leah sighed. "I only wish we'd knew which god was worshipped in this temple."

"The girl mentioned the 'light of the sun' several times," Jaheira said. "Some ancient god of the sun, perhaps?"

"Ah... so that's why this felt familiar..." Leah exclaimed in realization. "We have encountered an ancient sun god just recently, haven't we?"

"You did?" Keldorn wondered. "This is most unusual, Leah."

"I trust you have heard about the Keeper of the Eternal Sun, Keldorn," Leah remarked, staring straight at the entrance of the temple. "Amaunator... we meet again..."


	40. Chapter 40

Squire Anomen Delryn breathed heavily as he got up to his feet, following several minutes of rest to recover from the terrible exhaustion plaguing him. The fear spell had sent him running like a man possessed, forcing him to ignore even his own drained state, but once the spell had released its hold his legs had given out under him, making him collapse helplessly.

It was a stroke of fortune that the chamber he had fled to was devoid of all life, no dangerous predators or guardians of the ancient passages waiting to pounce upon him. It was possible that the others were looking for him already, but in this maze of passageways, Anomen harbored little hope that his friends would succeed at finding him, and he did not risk making loud noises to attract the attention of his comrades. It was just as likely to draw in someone all too eager to murder him and feast upon his flesh.

 _And in my current weakened state, I will call myself fortunate if I manage to overcome a blind goblin archer,_ Anomen thought to himself, almost laughing from the absurd mental image, even if his situation was not amusing in the slightest. Ever so slowly he began to pick a path along the narrow passageway, stretching between large piles of rubble that looked to have once been estates of the citizens of old Athkatla, the squire having to often stop on his way and rest a little, his full plate feeling unbearably heavy in his drained state.

It was during one of these short stops that Anomen suddenly felt a strange sensation washing over him, like a wave of cool, refreshing waterfall cascading over him and rejuvenating his waning strength, finding himself surrounded by a glowing blue aura. The squire turned around in surprise to discover the familiar figure of one of the Solamnic Knights standing behind him, responsible for casting the spell to alleviate his exhaustion.

"Lady Reyna!" Anomen exclaimed, recognizing the soft-spoken female knight. "It is a relief to see you, my Lady, and I thank you most graciously for your aid. But how did you find me here?"

"Truth be told, Anomen, I was not specifically looking for you," Reyna replied, removing her helmet and smiling at the squire. Anomen found himself staring at the alien woman's features almost in a fashion unbecoming of a knight, in the darkness of the passageways Reyna's skin shining with a soft glow, her hair appearing unnaturally red and with a strange golden metallic sheen, something that clearly set her apart from other inhabitants of Faerun, even if otherwise she appeared exactly like a normal human female. _Well, maybe save for those high, angular cheekbones. They make her face almost narrower than some of the elves I've seen,_ Anomen remarked to himself. _But it does not make her unpleasant to look at. It's just... strange, and exotic. In a good way... I think._

"Anomen?" Reyna asked, shaking the young squire out of his thoughts and forcing him to lower his eyes and stop staring. "You seemed liked miles away there, is everything alright?"

"Uh... yes, I'm sorry, my Lady," Anomen blushed. "You were saying?"

"I was going to say that much to my eternal shame I too was affected by that ancient fear spell," Reyna sighed sadly. "When I recovered, I found myself all alone. I tried to trace my steps back to the giant statue with the trap, and eventually I succeeded, but there was nobody there, out friends had already moved on. I chose a promising passageway and decided to explore in hopes of finding them... but then I found you. I call it a success."

"Even if I am in a state where I currently cannot be of much use," Anomen frowned.

"Even so, two pairs of eyes are better than one," Reyna smiled supportively. "I believe that I need your help as much as you could use mine."

"You are too kind, my Lady," Anomen returned her smile, feeling uplifted from the female knight's encouragement as they began to walk onwards, picking their way through the rubble. "In truth, I am also deeply ashamed about my failure to resist that vile spell... as an aspiring knight of the Order I should have been able to confront my fears and cast them aside easily."

"You are not the only one who failed to do so," Reyna replied, sounding a little downcast and ashamed. "If I may ask... and you do not have to answer this, but... was there any particular thing that the fear spell latched onto that you found impossible to overcome?"

"Yes... and it is no secret, my Lady," Anomen sighed. "I already spend every moment of my existence agonizing about my upcoming Test, and whether I will be judged worthy to join the ranks of the Order. Recent events have convinced me that I am not ready... not yet... but I still hope, and this anxiety is tearing me apart. No doubt, it is making me vulnerable to such spells that affect the mind."

"I completely understand and sympathize with your plight, Anomen," Reyna said softly, encouragingly patting him on the shoulder. "For what it is worth, I hope that things will work out as you want them to unfold."

"What I wish for to happen and what is the right thing might not always be one and the same," Anomen admitted quietly. "In this instance, I only hope that the judgment of the gods is fair. Even if it might shatter my dreams, I would not want to receive approval when I myself feel unworthy of the honor."

"I do not know you very well yet, Anomen, but you seem like a good and honest young man who has simply made an understandable error of judgment," Reyna smiled at the young squire. "The Order of the Solamnic Knights would be most happy to have you in their ranks, I can say that with certainty."

"Truly, my Lady, I feel most unworthy of such kindness," Anomen replied quietly, feeling touched by the warmth in the female knight's voice. "If you would confide in me... might I inquire what was the fear that caused you to flee?"

"Of course, Anomen... it was the fear of never seeing my homeworld ever again," Reyna explained. "A fate that is almost certain to become reality, but I suppose I have not quite accepted it yet. It is not something that is easy to come to terms with."

"I can imagine," Anomen nodded in sympathy. "You must have left your family and your loved ones behind. If it were in my powers to help you return to this Ansalon of yours, I most certainly would do so."

"The sentiment is appreciated, Anomen," Reyna replied. "But like all Solamnic Knights, I was taken from my family at a very young age to be raised by the knights of the Order. We are strongly discouraged to seek out our families and renew these bonds of blood, so in a sense, the Order becomes the only family we have. Some struggle to accept this, as did I for a while, but I have come to terms with it some time ago. Whoever my parents were, they would be strangers to me after all this time, same as I would be a stranger to them. And if you were asking whether I have started a family of my own, such a thing is also discouraged."

"Oh... you practice celibacy like some of our monastic orders?" Anomen asked, feeling strangely disappointed, some of the emotion seeping into his voice.

"No, we are not celibate," Reyna replied with easy laughter. "In fact, we are actively encouraged to attend to the needs of our bodies," she explained to the squire who was blushing behind his faceplate. "Some of us form long term emotional attachments, but we do not marry the way you do. Of course, as of late, simple struggle for survival has prevailed over all other needs..."

"Of course," Anomen agreed hastily, then falling silent, not knowing how to continue without making the conversation even more awkward. _I hope Lady Reyna doesn't think that I was inquiring whether she was romantically involved with someone or whether she was available. I fully intend to prove myself to my Lady Leah, as I promised to her. She would not forgive me such a blatant breach of my vows._

"Well, well, would you look at that," Reyna exclaimed suddenly, pointing at something in the distance as they emerged from a narrow corridor to find themselves in a more spacious passageway. At the side of a partly collapsed gazebo, there were signs of a recent and violent battle, smashed bones of the undead mashed together with the pulpy mass of beholder flesh, Anomen stepping on a severed eyestalk as he approached the scene of carnage, wincing at the disgusting sound of the eyeball popping under his steel boot. "I wonder if this could be the handiwork of our comrades, or were these fiends simply fighting each other?"

"It seems that neither side has prevailed, so perhaps a third party has been involved," Anomen nodded in agreement. "Hopefully our friends, as you said, my Lady."

"Shall we investigate?" Reyna smiled, pointing at the chunks of beholder-kin strewn towards one of the exits leading away from the gazebo chamber.

"Of course, Lady Reyna," Anomen spoke, setting to follow the female knight, almost as if having forgotten about his exhaustion from casting the restoration spell as he set to follow Reyna down yet another curving passageway.

* * *

When Aerie finally came back to her senses, she found herself in unfamiliar, disturbing surroundings, a circular room, the walls of which were pink like the color of her skin, the entire room pulsating with frightening contractions almost as if it was made from living flesh. Just how she had ended up in this grotesque place, the avariel did not know, and at the first glance she could not see how to get back to where she had last stood together with her friends.

Aerie remembered having been gripped by terrible fear, making her flee the scene, but she could not recall any single thing that had frightened her. Ever since wandering into the sewers, her claustrophobia had been acting up, making her more jumpy and nervous than usual, and now her shortcomings had led to her friends losing their only mage, only because she had not been strong-willed enough, or didn't have the hindsight to provide protection against spells looking to capitalize upon their fears. The only way to redeem herself and prove her usefulness to Leah and the group now was to find her way back to the others all on her own, even if it required traversing this unfamiliar, disturbing and dangerous landscape.

With newfound determination, Aerie rose to her feet and looked around the circular room, finding only a single exit from the oddly flexing and pulsating chamber. It stood to reason that she had arrived at the chamber this way, and having decided that it was the path that would lead her back to her friends, the avariel quickly left the room, finding herself in a corridor with the same disturbing fleshy pink walls that only urged her to rush and depart this horrid place in a hurry... and this haste nearly led to her downfall when she cut around the corner of the corridor only to be confronted with the sight of the most disgusting creature, a floating bulbous green monstrosity with at least half a dozen outstretched eyestalks. Fortunately, none of the disgusting creature's eyes were facing Aerie, so she quickly pulled herself out of the monster's sight, her hands trembling from fright as she realized that she had nearly ran straight into some kind of deadly beholder-kin.

Not liking her chances of prevailing against a creature that was feared by the most experienced of adventurers, Aerie began to calm down and examine her options, eventually settling on the only viable choice available to her. Nalia had taught her the invisibility spell and advised her to always have it ready for when situation might call for immediate retreat, and even if Aerie was a little uncertain about the usefulness of this spell, she had done as her friend had instructed her. Now, having cast the spell and made herself invisible, the avariel mentally thanked her friend for the excellent advice that would hopefully provide her with safe escape from this dreadful pit.

Quietly, Aerie sneaked past the unsuspecting beholder, not spending any time in deliberations on which of the many pathways to choose, simply taking the right turn and swiftly retreating, trying to put in as much distance from the beholder as she could. Once again, haste almost proved her undoing, the avariel in such a hurry to get away that she nearly ran into an even nastier surprise, an entire group of beholders, at least two of them much larger than the small green one she had seen before. Aerie only barely stopped herself from crying out in horror, starting to backpedal and hoping that the larger and more cunning beholders did not possess the ability to see through her invisibility. Indeed, one of them was starting to float a little towards her as if sensing something, its eyestalks focusing directly where she stood.

Aerie had finally had enough. Throwing all caution to wind, she swirled around and broke into a run, trying to get away before the beholders did something to dispel her invisibility. Having enough presence of mind to take another path instead of the one that led back to the smaller beholder-kin, Aerie made sure to run as fast as she could, knowing that she needed to escape this dreadful place before her invisibility spell failed. She turned her head to steal a quick peek behind to see whether she was being followed... and as she did so, the elf felt herself crashing into something heavy, crying out in dismay as a rough pair of arms grabbed her, shaking and squeezing her lithe frame.

"What's this then?" the man who had caught her in his arms asked in a hoarse voice. "A lone elf wandering around the sanctum of our Great Lord?" Aerie struggled for a while to free herself from the man's grasp, but was eventually forced to admit defeat. They were surrounded by four other men, all obviously cultists of the Unseeing Eye, but of the supposedly less worthy kind that had been unwilling to have their eyes plucked out.

"A fitting sacrifice to the Great One, wouldn't you say?" another cultist asked, ignoring Aerie's cries and pleas for help.

"I quite agree," agreed the man who had caught her, likely the leader of the cultists. "Let us prepare the sacrifice. Bind her arms and legs. Rip her clothes if we don't have any rope." As Aerie felt her robe being torn to pieces, revealing the naked flesh underneath, her cries turned into screams, at least until one of the cultists placed a gag on her mouth to silence her.

Unknown to the frightened avariel, a shifty leather-clad Easterner man sat in the shadows nearby, watching her struggle with a frown on his face, the man's dexterous fingers toying with an arrow notched in the string of his bow, Yoshimo waiting on a moment to strike.

* * *

"How do we defeat this thing?" Leah exclaimed in frustration, her scimitar once again bouncing off from the demon-like creature's rough skin, the group having encountered the beast directly upon entering the ancient temple. So far none of their attacks had caused any harm to the demonic monstrosity, in fact, any landed blow actually seemed to empower the creature. "There has to be some kind of a trick to this that we are missing," she added, stepping away from the melee and taking a quick glance around the hall, wondering if maybe there were some kind of inner defenses of the temple that they were supposed to use against the demon, but save for an altar upon a large pedestal at the back to the hall, nothing presented itself. _Maybe the device is there? Maybe we're supposed to use it against the creature?_

"It becomes stronger the more we try to harm it!" Onvo exclaimed, just before he was flung across the hall by a heavy backhanded slap from the creature.

"Stop hitting it, Minsc!" Jaheira shouted, backing away from the demon, also looking puzzled at how to defeat their foe.

"Boo says there is no evil backside that can't be defeated by Minsc's mighty kick!" the ranger announced cheerfully, ignoring the druidess. "If it doesn't work... then Minsc just needs to kick harder!"

"Stay your blade, noble friend," Keldorn spoke with authority, Minsc actually pausing for a moment to consider the paladin's words. "Alas, not all problems can be solved with that mighty sword of yours. There might be evil magic at work here... something impervious to our blades." The creature swiped at the old Inquisitor, Keldorn bringing up the Hallowed Redeemer to block the swing. "Protect yourself, my friends, but do not fight back, not until we know how to defeat it!"

Meanwhile, Leah quickly climbed the stairs up to the altar, looking for the rod they had been sent to retrieve, but finding nothing except for some meager offerings in the shape of dust covered gems. "Hate! Feed me with your hate!" she could hear the demon hissing behind her back, sounding annoyed when her friends had stopped attacking it. "Noooooo!" came its cry of disbelief, Leah turning around to see the creature dissipating in a billow of smoke and ash, Viconia standing next to where it had loomed, her hands still enveloped in the soothing blue energy of a spell she had cast.

"That was impressive," Onvo remarked, getting up to his feet and looking at Viconia. "What did you do?"

"She cast a healing spell on the creature," Jaheira replied, noticing that the Drow appeared very much winded after finishing her spell. "I suppose it was the logical solution. If our hate would feet it, then the opposite should weaken it."

"That is what I was counting on, yes," Viconia remarked, her voice a little weaker than usual.

"It seems simple enough, but not everyone could think of something like that in the heat of the battle," Leah smiled at the drow as she climbed down from the pedestal to rejoin her friends. "Thank you, Viconia, I don't know what we would do without you."

"You probably don't even want to know, _abbil_ ," Viconia returned her smile, but at that moment any further conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a ghostly figure, a spirit of some sort that fortunately did not seem hostile.

"I have a feeling that we are facing the true host of this temple," Leah remarked, addressing the ghostly image of an old, kindly man.

"Yes..." the spirit replied in a disembodied voice. "I thank you for slaying the beast... it has been banished, for a while at least. It will eventually return to devour my form... as it always does... it is a fell deity that feeds upon the hate of my followers, and it has more power than I have remaining. But for now at least, we are safe to speak..."

"We are in a presence of the avatar of a dead god," Jaheira gasped, coming to stand next to Leah. "This surpasses all the strange things I have witnessed while traveling with you thus far, Leah."

"For some reason, I do not feel suitably awed," Leah frowned. "Perhaps it is the fault of that sad spectacle outside," she said, turning to address the ghostly avatar. "Your time has passed, Amaunator. Why not release these people from their pointless servitude?"

"The agreement was to last for all time," the ghostly spirit replied. "They must guard, and I must provide for their lives... with what little power I have left..."

"I really do not see what is achieved by their continuous suffering," Leah shrugged, feeling only pity for the forgotten deity and its followers, doomed to this horrible non-existence. "But we have not come here to argue ancient agreements between faded gods and their worshippers. There is an item here... part of a powerful device that we must retrieve."

"Yes... the great device... even it has waned in power, as have I," the faded avatar droned. "It is no longer as epic a danger as once I thought. Still, the letter of the bargain was that I protect the great device until the end of time. The creator races were very specific... but I will reinterpret the words, for it surely meant the end of **my** time. The intent of the bargain was that the great device would never be used again. If it is indeed the 'end of time', then my last act should be to destroy it. But... I have left with too little power, not enough to destroy the device..."

"You must not destroy the device!" Leah protested. "Not before we have used it first! There is an undead beholder... an evil and powerful creature that seeks to possess your part of the great device. We have a reason to believe that this creature can only be defeated by the assembled rod... which is why we need the part of the device you are protecting!"

The ghostly avatar did not reply at first. Its shape began to blur, becoming almost mist-like, then floating towards Leah and passing through her frame, a most unpleasant, chilly sensation filling the young priestess as the fading power of a dead god touched upon her soul, prodding at her essence with icy tendrils. Fortunately, the entire unsettling experience did not last long, the shadowy mist retreating and reforming into the familiar shape of the ghostly spirit.

"Yes... your plan is revealed to me," the fading avatar spoke mournfully. "You will take the great device, the piece that I possess, and you shall combine it with the piece the creature already has. The assembled rod would surely destroy the beast… but it must be returned to me afterwards. Use it but once, or you will perish under its power."

"Why would we return it to you?" Viconia stepped forth to ask. "You only just admitted that you lack the power to destroy it."

"It is true... but if my people would reach out and call my name, instead of feeding the beast with their loathing of me... it would give me enough power to destroy the rod," the avatar moaned. "Tell them that I intend to end their service... do what you can to make them call out for me one last time."

"I'm sure we will manage to be persuasive enough," Leah replied with a charming smile. _Or forceful,_ she silently added to herself. _This plan can't fail because of some stubborn cultists; I won't allow that._ "So... with all said and done... could we have the device now?"

"Take it," the avatar spoke, pointing at the altar. "Show it to my followers as a sign that I intend to destroy it. Perhaps that will convince them to reach out and call my name."

"Forgive me, honored Amaunator, but it would simply make them believe that you were too weak to prevent us from taking the device," Keldorn pointed out as Leah was already on her way up the stairs to the altar, picking up an engraved magical rod, strange and mysterious, never before witnessed symbols adorning the smooth shaft.

"Do as you will. Know that I must have the assembled device and the prayers of my people if the device is to be destroyed," the avatar stated, starting to fade away, but not before uttering one final warning. "Be careful... do not think to leave this place with the assembled device... trying to harness its power for yourself would invoke the wrath of the gods themselves. Your souls would be utterly obliterated and forever denied the afterlife..."

"So... anyone wants to call bluff on that?" Viconia asked mockingly once the avatar had faded completely. Nobody rose to answer her.

* * *

Leah sat on a loose stone slab, idly tapping against it with the shaft of the so called great device, making sure to be quiet enough as to not awaken her companions, slumbering nearby. Upon exiting the decrepit temple, they had shortly come across Reyna and Anomen, the young Helmite in particular looking very exhausted and forcing Leah to make the decision to break for camp and rest, Viconia badly needing to recover her strength as well. The camp was set at the feet of the massive statue that had unleashed the fear spell upon them, but since they had no intentions to steal from its vault, Leah believed that the location was safe, and she certainly preferred it to the hall where Sassar's people congregated, next to the disturbing sarcophagus that stored the undead body of a powerful lich.

The fact that they had not come across Yoshimo or Aerie worried Leah a great deal, but she could not bring herself to abandon their primary goal and divert all resources to search for the missing ones, who by now could be anywhere in the massive underground complex. No, even if her practicality might have been considered ruthless, Leah felt that pressing ahead was the only smart option and all that was left for her was hope that they would manage to find Yoshimo and Aerie along the way.

"It looks like you are hatching some particularly complicated plot," Jaheira's voice suddenly startled her, the druidess sitting down on a similar stone slab next to hers, bringing up her hand to smoothen out her tangled-up hair.

"Oh, sorry... did I wake you?" Leah blushed, stopping her absent-minded tapping with the rod.

"No, it is merely my time to relieve you from your guard duty," Jaheira smirked.

"Already?" Leah blinked, the half-elf nodding at her with a smile. Time had passed so fast for Leah, her mind going over all the possibilities, carefully analyzing the paths before her... and there certainly was a lot to think about. "Mind if I sit with you for a while?" the young Sorlyn asked. "I don't think I could sleep just yet."

"Feel free," Jaheira shrugged, though she looked glad for the company. "Let me guess, you were thinking about that," she added, pointing at the incomplete rod.

"Yes, well guessed," Leah smiled, looking at the device again. "I can't make heads or tails of these symbols, to be honest," she admitted. "It's all a bunch of gibberish to me."

"Well, I believe you would need a mage to interpret that," Jaheira replied. "And Aerie is still missing."

"Even if she were here... do you honestly believe a home-schooled mage would be able to understand something so complicated?" Leah sighed. "Now Edwin, on the other hand... he may have been a complete bastard, but I'm sure he probably knew a great deal about Netherese artifacts. Oh, what I wouldn't give to meet an educated **and** nice wizard…"

"You believe the artifact is Netherese?" Jaheira asked, pointing at the rod again.

"I do," Leah nodded. "These buildings, the whole architecture down here... I think it is Netherese. And Amaunator was widely revered in ancient Netheril, was he not? So yes, I'm thinking we're dealing with the ancestry of the Netherese."

"That... complicates things," the druidess frowned deeply. "From what I know of the Netherese, the magic they practiced was far superior to anything we have today. I am... worried that we might not be able to control the power of the artifact."

"You think that there might be something to the warning that we should not just leave with the assembled rod?" Leah asked.

"Wait, you were thinking of doing that?" Jaheira faced her with an incredulous stare.

"The thought did cross my mind," Leah admitted with a shrug. "Just think about it… an artifact of unprecedented power falls into our lap. How tempting would it be to use it in order to get to Imoen and rescue her from this Spellhold? And perhaps turn Irenicus into a pile of ash in the process."

"Hmm… it is tempting, yes, but... I would still not recommend it," the druidess shook her head after a brief moment of thought. "It would not be unheard of for the Netherese to place some kind of protection upon an item this powerful. In fact, I would absolutely expect them to have done it."

"So you're saying that Amaunator's warning might be merited," Leah asked, frowning when Jaheira nodded fervently. "Figures. Well, I guess it just means we stick to our original plan. Probably better that way, too. Still... it just reinforces what I've been thinking recently. Aerie tries very hard, and she has her moments, but we really could do with someone more experienced than her or Nalia."

"Perhaps someone suitable will cross our path soon," Jaheira remarked encouragingly. "Even if this is Amn and adventuring mages seem to be in short supply."

"Indeed... well, I better get to my bedroll for some shuteye," Leah said, then facing Jaheira with a suspicious stare. "I'm still thinking that my shift was awfully short... are you sure you're not trying to do me a favor I have not asked for?"

"I... had something akin to a nightmare," Jaheira admitted with a deep frown. She appeared unwilling to elaborate further, but Leah simply sat and stared at her until the half-elf gave in, sighing and starting to explain. "I do not remember much of the dream, but... I have been feeling... strange for a few days now. Ill wind in the air, I think is the expression they use. It is like I can feel a storm brewing, in the distance. They say you shiver when someone walks over your grave. I feel as though someone were marching back and forth across mine."

"Hopefully you're just worrying about nothing," Leah said, even though she did not believe her own words. Jaheira's senses were keen and accurate most of the time. "But I can sit here and talk with you some more if you'd like the company."

"I would like that, yes, but you need your sleep, Leah, so go on and scoot," Jaheira smiled at her.

"Alright… if you're sure there's nothing else you'd like to talk about... or ask me," Leah smiled back at her friend.

"Nothing comes to mind, Leah, go get some sleep," Jaheira returned slowly, but it did not escape Leah's notice that the stare of the druidess had been directed at Viconia, sleeping calmly a little behind Leah's back.

As Leah returned to her bedroll and began to settle into her sleeping berth, she could not help but wonder about Jaheira's odd reaction. _It seemed clear from that look that she knows or suspects about my… liaison with Viconia... but if she disapproves of it, then why would she remain silent? I most certainly would never expect that from Jaheira, so… why did she say nothing on the matter?_


	41. Chapter 41

After Leah and her group had arrived at Sassar's little encampment and presented him with the part of the recovered rod, the blind ex-cultist revealed the next step in their grand plan, which was surely going to get them all killed in a most gruesome fashion. As Leah already suspected, the Unseeing Eye made its lair in the hole appropriately named the Pit of Faithless, where the beholder's loyal cultists dumped the bodies of those adjudged to be lacking in faith. While human flesh was not a part of the beholder cuisine, the Unseeing Eye apparently had various minions all of whom considered the failed cultist flesh a rare delicacy. But regardless of all that, Leah and her group had to find some safe path down into this pit and to the undead beholder's treasure trove, where it supposedly also had hidden the other half of the rod.

Fortunately, Sassar's people still had some friends back with the cult, and the leader of the exiles claimed that they would be able to show Leah a secret passage down into the beholder's lair once she had identified herself as Sassar's ally. Of course, all bets were off once they actually made it down to the beholder's lair since nobody quite knew what to expect there. Sassar did warn them that the Unseeing Eye had surrounded himself with a flock of other beholder kin, a revelation that did not make Leah particularly happy and optimistic about their chances.

"Surely you realize that this plan is completely mad and will see us all killed horribly?" Viconia asked, walking next to Leah as they made their way back to the cultist headquarters.

"Yes, that is quite likely," Leah nodded with fake cheerfulness. "Still, it's not like we have much of a choice here."

"Of course you have a choice!" Viconia exclaimed, shaking her head in frustration. "Just leave these fools to their fate and walk away! What do we care about _iblith_ stupid enough to follow an undead beholder? They might as well be worshipping a pile of dung! It would certainly be safer and would end less badly for them."

"Eh, you know we can't just walk away, not after what we've learned," Leah replied, though she did feel partly tempted to follow Viconia's heretical suggestion. But since turning her tail and running would upset everyone else in the group, Leah did not seriously consider this possibility for longer than an idle moment. "I suppose we could lead Sassar's people out of the sewers, but that wouldn't really solve the problem at its root. We can't leave it up to the chance that the undead beholder might one day succeed in assembling the rod. If it is an artifact of ancient Netherese magic, who knows what horrors it may bring. Have you heard about the Netherese, Viconia?"

"Only in passing," the drow shrugged. "I have trouble understanding the _rivvin_ of this day and age. Trying to comprehend some ancient, long forgotten surfacer empire has never been exactly a priority of mine."

"They were different from other human empires in that it was a magocracy," Leah explained. "Perhaps a little like Thay is today, but their Zulkirs have probably one tenth of the power that the ancient wizards of Netheril possessed. Magic like that is literally unheard of today, spells capable of making entire cities float in the sky... it must have been a grandiose sight, even if as I understand, their society was quite cruel."

"One does not exclude the other, I know that from the society I grew up in," the drow replied. "But well, I suppose you have made your point. The Unseeing Eye using a relic of immense power to rip apart the fabric of reality would be... unhelpful."

"Very unhelpful, indeed," Leah chuckled; flashing a quick grin at Viconia and feeling her spirits soar when the dark-skinned beauty returned her smile. Following their period of rest, Viconia looked to be back to her normal, acerbic self, having completely recovered from casting the restoration spell, as had Anomen, Leah noting with interest that the Helmite seemed content to walk at the back of the group together with Reyna of the Solamnic Knights.

It did not take long for them to reach the part of the complex that the cultists of the Unseeing Eye had claimed for themselves. Fortunately, High Priest Gaal appeared too busy with other matters to come out and confront them himself, but several of his well-armed guards immediately surrounded the group upon their arrival.

"Have you procured the part of the rod as instructed by the High Priest?" one of the guards demanded.

"Unfortunately, the defenses of the ancient temple proved too much for us and we were forced to fall back," Leah replied, repeating the fake story that they had all agreed upon back at Sassar's camp. "We are searching for a sanctuary to rest and recover before making another attempt. I am confident that armed with the knowledge of what we face, the second attempt will be more successful."

"Hmph…" the guard frowned, their return and the request clearly an unexpected surprise. "Perhaps I should confer with the High Priest... your defeat might mean that you are not fit to carry out this task in the name of the Unseeing Eye."

"Oh, would you like to give it a try, then?" Viconia cut in, giving the guard a withering glare. "If we are deemed unfit, perhaps the High Priest will decide to send you instead."

"Err... you do make an excellent point, my good woman," the guard replied hastily. "Perhaps I was mistaken when making my assumptions. I will ensure that you are given rooms to rest and recover." With that, the guard quickly disappeared, another cultist seeking them out shortly after to take them to spacious empty quarters at the side of the circular room with the Pit of Faithless in the middle.

Sassar had already alerted some of his remaining friends back with the cult that Leah and her group were their allies, devoted to destroy the despicable cult of beholder worshippers, and so Leah and her friends did not have to wait too long until contact was made. One of the eyeless, a young man with a black unkempt beard, slipped into their quarters to speak the first part of the password, to which Leah repeated the words 'the eye is blind' taught to her by Sassar as the second part of the password. The jittery young man seemed to relax a little at that, then taking the time to explain how to reach the secret passageway down into the Pit of Faithless, often used by Gaal and his inner circle to respond to the summons from their false deity, descending into the lair of the Unseeing Eye to report on their progress, or lack of it, in recovering the second part of the great device.

Fortunately, the secret entrance down into the pit was very close to their assigned quarters, but Leah still insisted on taking every precaution possible, splitting her group into pairs as they made the short trip to the secret passageway. The cultists were busy going about their own dismal daily routine, and nobody paid them too much attention, especially as they made to sure to wait for several minutes before the next pair left their quarters, those who had already made the trip patiently huddling just past the entrance and waiting for the last pair of Anomen and Reyna to arrive. Once the Helmite and the knight from Ansalon had joined them, Keldorn and Minsc took up their places at the front and led the group down the roughly hewn steps in the spiraling passageway deeper into the pit.

"Ugh, this is disgusting," Leah remarked, wrinkling her nose and wincing at the horrid smell that assaulted her senses after the group had descended all the way down and discovered just what happened with the dead bodies of the failed cultists who ended up cast into the pit, the group having arrived just in time to witness a pack of ghouls and ghasts tearing apart the body of one of the unfortunate cultists. The entire cavern at the bottom of the pit was littered with human remains, the undead not known for having cultured table manners, messy eaters never picking the bones clean, so the stench of old, rotting meat down here was overpowering, making Leah completely and utterly sick.

"One has to wonder for how long this has been going on," Onvo remarked, looking at the large piles of human remains.

"For too long, my friend," Keldorn snarled, looking absolutely disgusted. "For much too long."

Fortunately, these particular minions of the Unseeing Eye posed very few difficulties for Leah and her group. Even when some of the more fearsome mummies or skeletal warriors arrived to engage them, Viconia simply used the blessings of Shar to control the undead that Leah and Anomen did not destroy outright with their divine gifts. At the end of the cavern, before they could advance deeper into the pit, a terrifying bone golem rose up to prevent their entry, swinging its menacing scythe-like hands at them, swipes that could easily sever a body part if one were not careful. Viconia's ability to control the skeletal warriors once again proved extremely useful, the dark elf ordering their temporary undead allies to engage the bone golem while the rest of the group carefully flanked the fearsome foe to then easily crush and bring it down by attacking from behind.

"I wonder how the High Priest and his followers get past these creatures," Reyna wondered as they made their way down another set of circular steps, deeper into the pit. "I very much doubt they fight them every time their disgusting overlord requests a word."

"They probably have some kind of protection from these undead, yes," Onvo agreed.

"Minsc and Boo need no such protection!" the large ranger happily announced. "All we need is a sharp sword and pair of boots for undead butt-kicking!" At that, Leah made the critical mistake of envisioning the mental image of Minsc wielding a sword while wearing nothing save for his boots, then wishing she would have some kind of brain bleach to erase that particular disturbing picture from her mind.

"What is this place?" Anomen was the first one to speak up once they had reached the very bottom of the pit, the true lair of the Unseeing Eye. "It looks... most disturbing."

"I can't help but to agree," Leah shuddered, looking around the strange surroundings, pulsating walls in the color, and upon further examination, also the shape and feel of some kind of flesh-like substance. The ground was made of the same material, soft and horribly squelchy under their feet, as if they were walking upon something that was actually alive. "It looks like..." she mused, staring at the grotesque walls of the passageway before them, flexing with constrictions in precise, repeating intervals. "I actually have no idea what it looks like."

"Well, I do," Viconia chuckled. "I think it looks a lot like a large-..." she leaned closer to Leah to whisper the rest of the sentence into the girl's ear, watching with delight as the young priestess blushed deep red.

"Eww! No, you did **not** just say that, Viconia! That is gross!" Leah glared at the drow, the young Sorlyn playfully punching the dark elf's shoulder.

"Minsc is curious to find out what friend Viconia said," Minsc stated, giving the drow an expectant stare. "And Boo must know what upset little Leah so much!"

"Oh, I'm not upset, Minsc, don't worry about that," Leah quickly reassured her overprotective guardian. "Viconia just said something absolutely disgusting that should never be repeated," she added, though for some reason it only served to make everyone around them appear even more curious. "So no, she is not going to repeat those words, because we would not wish to corrupt the ears of innocent young hamsters... would we, Viconia?" she asked, glaring at the drow. _It's bad enough that I will now be constantly thinking that we're wandering through massive, enlarged parts of... female anatomy. That is not a mental image I needed!_

"Most certainly, I have no intentions of corrupting any hamsters," Viconia replied with an amused glint in her eyes which clearly spoke of her intentions of corrupting Leah, further and further.

"Now that we have established that, perhaps we should proceed onwards," Jaheira spoke insistently, looking further down the passageway with her eyes narrowed. The expression on her face was also one of disgust, the druidess clearly having picked up on the disturbing analogy that Viconia had made.

"Oh yes, most certainly," Leah agreed readily. "The sooner we get out of this horrible place, the better."

Unfortunately, the lair of the Unseeing Eye proved to be rather large, consisting of many of these disturbing passages with throbbing, fleshy walls that Leah was sure would give her nightmares for the weeks to come. The worst part was that down here, they were wandering around blindly, and without a rogue to spy ahead and guide them, their situation was very difficult and dangerous. Already, they had encountered the first minion of the undead beholder, fortunately the gauth had been patrolling on its own, brought down quickly, but still its damaging magical rays managed to sting Jaheira and Keldorn, both of them requiring healing before they could proceed.

Leah's greatest worry was to blindly run into a pack of deadly beholders, or accidentally stumbling upon the Unseeing Eye itself, because Sassar had warned that they were unlikely to survive this encounter without the reassembled rod. As they stood in the crossroads of three different passageways stretching in all directions, wondering which one to choose, they suddenly heard the scream of a frightened, hysteric sounding female. Unsure of the direction it had come from, Leah turned to look at Jaheira, always trusting the keen senses of the druidess in situations like these.

"This way," Jaheira barked without any hesitation, running down the most central passage, the others following with all haste, doing their best not to fall behind. Leah was about to shout out to Jaheira and ask whether she had not made a mistake and charged down the wrong tunnel, when they came upon the most puzzling and surprising scene. The passageway widened to reveal a larger cavern, with several heavily armored cultists looming over a bound, half-naked female, presumably their victim whose screams they had heard moments ago. Strangely, however, one of the cultists was sprawled on the ground with an arrow sticking through his neck while his fellows looked at each other stupefied. Leah was about to give the order to attack and deal with the remaining cultists when another arrow whizzed through the air and struck one of the cultists in the eye, dropping him dead, the cultist collapsing on top of the bound female and bleeding all over her partially nude form.

The cultists were clearly puzzled as to where the arrows, killing them one by one, were coming from, and as they looked around for threats, they inevitably spotted Leah and her group of friends, charging towards them. The four surviving cultists tried to rally and put up some resistance, but the group of eight adventurers overcame them like a tidal wave, none of the cultists left standing after their impressive charge. The marksman in the shadows, however, appeared as confused as the cultists, another arrow arriving to bounce off Anomen's chest, fortunately not penetrating the young squire's armor. With her scimitar and shield raised, Leah began to slowly move down the corridor from which she suspected the archer to be firing from... only to watch Yoshimo stepping out of the shadows, his arms raised apologetically.

"A thousand pardons, my friends," the Easterner rogue smiled a little awkwardly. "I certainly did not expect you to arrive and save the day in the last moment. I thought I would have to perform this rescue all on my own."

"Rescue?" Leah asked, looking at Yoshimo in puzzlement.

"Little Leah!" she suddenly heard Minsc shouting from behind her. "Boo and I have found Aerie, but she needs our help!"

"That... was Aerie?" Leah gasped in sudden realization, rushing back towards the larger cavern where the bound elven woman had mercifully fainted from all the unbearable excitement. "Stop gawking, everyone, we need to help her! Minsc, get that dead body off from her... Jaheira, see if she's injured and needs healing! And Yoshimo... stop staring and find something useful to do!" she barked, seeing that the rogue was spending a little too much time examining Aerie's state of undress after Minsc had picked up and thrown the dead cultist away like a sack of rotten turnips.

"I cannot find any injuries, Leah," Jaheira spoke up, having examined her patient. "However, she is probably suffering from shock of the events. I am not certain of how much use she will be even if she regains consciousness."

"That is simply wonderful," Viconia groused. "Didn't she speak of suffering horrible torture by the _rivvin_ who cut off her wings?"

"She did tell those horrific stories to me and Lady Nalia, yes," Anomen spoke up, giving Viconia a dark stare. "What of it, drow?"

"Well, you would think that if someone has suffered from such torture, they would not be so shocked as to faint merely from this," Viconia shrugged. "But I will not repeat myself, I have already said that I consider her to be the weak link of the group."

"I would rather trust her than I would trust you, drow," the Helmite did not relent.

"Why, because I have let you down in any way, or proved unreliable during our travels together?" Viconia asked sarcastically, giving the young squire a challenging stare. Anomen turned away and remained silent.

"Now, if we are quite done with pointless bickering, perhaps you two could see about helping me get Aerie properly clothed," Leah said, withdrawing a spare cloak from her backpack and looking expectantly at both Jaheira and Viconia, all the men of the group, including Yoshimo, possessing the good sense to turn away. With the help of the two other women, Aerie was quickly covered with the spare cloak, hiding her partial nakedness, though she still remained unconscious. Seeing that Aerie was taking in healthy, deep breaths, Leah decided against waking her up, fearing that the avariel might suffer a panic reaction to the traumatic events that she had endured in the beholder's lair.

"I think we need to get her out of here," Jaheira said, echoing Leah's thoughts.

"Yes, but the only way back out is through the cultist headquarters," the Sorlyn remarked thoughtfully. "Perhaps someone can carry her to the secret passage and wait for us there? It should be safe enough."

"We might need everyone against the Unseeing Eye," Viconia pointed out logically enough.

"Sure, but..." Leah began, then cutting herself short. She did not want to speak aloud that Aerie might be more of a hindrance currently, not wanting to confirm what Viconia had already stated openly, even if she partly agreed with the drow. Speaking unflatteringly of Aerie would most certainly upset Minsc, and likely other members of her group. However, it did not change the fact that when and if they made out of the sewers under the temple district, she and Aerie would have to sit down for a very serious talk. "I don't think that the battle against the Unseeing Eye will be decided by numbers," she finally said, silently praying that she was right. Viconia scowled at her, but said nothing.

"Minsc and Boo will carry little Aerie back to safety," the Rashemi offered nobly. "Well, Minsc will do all the carrying. Boo will soothe and inspire little Aerie with courageous and heroic hamster thoughts."

"That's fine, Minsc, thank you, but I would like to send someone else with you, just in case you have to defend yourselves," Leah smiled at the large ranger, then turning to look at the female Solamnic Knight. "Lady Reyna, do you remember the way back to the secret entrance?"

"I am quite confident that I can retrace our steps, Lady Leah," Reyna smiled at her.

"Then please accompany Minsc and stay with him and Aerie there," Leah ordered, receiving a quick nod from the alien knight.

"Should I go with them as well, my Lady?" Anomen asked, for some unfathomable reason.

"Uh... no, I think I could do with your help here, Anomen," Leah replied, feeling a little confused. _Is he... is he acting all chivalrous towards Reyna now?_ She wondered to herself, uncertain what to make of Anomen's odd suggestion. _Perhaps he is trying to make me... jealous? Oh dear Milil, I hope that's not his tactic... that would be so incredibly and utterly dumb!_

"As you would have it, Leah," Anomen bowed to her, then turning towards Reyna. "I will pray for the best of fortune in your task, Lady Reyna. We shall endeavor to return to you and Minsc with all haste."

"You worry too much, young Anomen," Onvo spoke up, the man appearing to be rolling his eyes a little as he spoke. "Reyna is an experienced knight who has spent many seasons with the order. She can take care of herself and our friends, of that you can be certain."

"I did not mean to imply otherwise," Anomen muttered quietly, watching as Minsc gently picked up the unconscious Aerie from the ground and together with Lady Reyna departed through the pulsing passageway they had come from.

"Right, so..." Leah shook her head, feeling a little distracted by these recent events, trying to refocus on the task at hand. "Let's try to find that treasure trove of the Unseeing Eye. At least we finally have our rogue with us again, that should make it a little less dangerous."

"Not for said rogue," Yoshimo winked at her.

"Let me put it this way, _wael_ ," Viconia scowled at the Kara-Turan. "Unless you get to your task, I promise to regale everyone in Athkatla with the tale of your glorious failure."

"Your point is well taken, my harsh mistress," Yoshimo sighed theatrically and quickly disappeared from the view, dashing to scout one of the more promising looking passageways.

"I wonder what they were doing down here," Onvo wondered, poking one of the dead cultists with the tip of his boot, the group waiting for Yoshimo to return with the news.

"Probably Gaal's men," Keldorn replied, the older paladin taking the momentary pause in action in order to light his pipe and let out a puff of smoke. "Additional security, perhaps. Let's hope it means the Unseeing Eye doesn't have enough of his own beholder kin to cover all accesses to his hoard."

"Yes, that would not be ideal," Leah mumbled. Her legs were burning a little from all the walking and fighting they had done, but she had no desire to sit down on this disgustingly fleshy surface.

"I would hazard to say that it would sting just a tad," Keldorn winked at her, seemingly in much better spirits now that he had managed to get his tobacco fix. Facing certain death apparently did not seem frightening at all when the old paladin could do it with his pipe lit.

They only had to wait a few more minutes until Yoshimo returned, wearing his usual sardonic smile on his lips. "I have both good news and bad news," the rogue informed them.

"You found the treasure trove but there are two dozen beholders between us and the other half of the rod?" Jaheira snorted sarcastically.

"Hmm… no, my bad news are not nearly this bad," Yoshimo laughed. "I did find the treasure room and you will be pleased to know that there are no enemies blocking our path."

"Those are both good news, my good man," Anomen pointed out before Leah could open her mouth.

"I suppose they are, yes," Yoshimo conceded. "Very well, I have two good news and a bad one." He made a dramatic pause, chuckling when the others simply glared at him threateningly. "The treasure trove itself is... a little unorthodox."

"Let me guess, it's trapped beyond your pathetic skill to disarm it," Viconia laughed.

"Perhaps it would be better to simply show you," Yoshimo replied, ignoring Viconia's barb, leading the group down a series of connecting passageways, the final one of them emptying into a smaller circular room, supposedly the treasury of the Unseeing Eye. As Leah looked around, she could not see anything where the beholder's half of the rod might be stored, not until she noticed Yoshimo standing over what looked like a pool carved into the floor of the treasury. Leah quickly walked up to the rogue and peered down, spotting a host of different items at the bottom of the pool, filled with some kind of cloudy liquid.

"Let me guess... that is not water," Viconia mused, staring at the pool of treasure.

"It is not water," Yoshimo confirmed. He touched the surface of the pool with his boot, sending a tremor through the liquid that appeared to be of a jelly-like substance.

"Ugh, that is so disgusting," Leah groaned, realizing that one of them would have to reach fairly deep into the pool in order to retrieve the rod. "Well?" she looked at Yoshimo expectantly. "It's the job of the thief to recover treasure, isn't it?"

"I'm sure you're mistaken, young lovely, it is the thief's job to **find** the treasure and disarm traps around it," Yoshimo bowed at her. "The treasure has been found, and I can assure you that the pool is not trapped. I have done my part."

Leah was about to launch into an angry tirade, then remembering something, a rule that she had promised herself to live and treat all her friends by. _Don't ask anyone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself,_ she reminded herself, sighing as she took off her helmet and tossed it on the ground together with her backpack. "Help me with my armor, Jaheira?" she looked back at the druidess.

"If you are certain this is wise," the druidess replied uncertainly, but she did step forward and began to undo the straps on Leah's back.

"I would be happy to do this instead of you, my Lady," Anomen finally remembered that he was supposed to be gallantly heroic.

"No, don't worry about it, Anomen. Handling fun and exciting tasks such as this is simply one of the perks of leadership, so I should be the one to do it," Leah said, shrugging out of her armor with Jaheira's help, also removing all of the protective padding until she remained in her light under-tunic and leggings. "It's quite hard to see how deep it is," she mused, dropping down on her knees by the pool. "I don't think I can quite reach the bottom with my hand without actually submerging myself in this... jelly."

"Have you actually spotted the rod yet?" Viconia asked. "It might be wise to do so before you jump into the pool like the fool that you are."

"Aww, it's sweet of you to worry," Leah chuckled, with a corner of her eye noticing Anomen's expression turning to disgust at her flirtatious tone. "But yes, I think I can see it right down there," she pointed at the bottom of the pool and an item there, slightly resembling the part of the rod already in their possession, this half having a thicker base and pointier end, likely the top part of the completed device. "You two," she nodded at Jaheira and Viconia, "can hold my legs in case I need to submerge completely." The two women dropped on their knees next to Leah, ready to assist should there be any need, the others also looking alert now, realizing that there was a fair bit of potential risk involved in Leah's attempt.

"Ugh... so gross," Leah sighed, sticking her hand into the thick jelly-like substance. She dropped on the ground and dipped her arm all the way in up to her shoulder, but still it would not reach the bottom of the pool, at least half a yard missing. "Damn it," she swore, looking at Jaheira and Viconia. "Here I go," she said, ready to take a big breath and submerge, the other two holding on to her legs tightly. "Pull me up when I start kicking."

Holding her breath, Leah threw herself over the edge of the pool and into the disgusting slime-like jelly. Reaching the bottom of the pool obviously required quite a bit more time than if she had been diving into clear water, and Leah was starting to get a little dizzy and starving for breath by the time her hand finally met the squelchy, slightly harder bottom of the pool. She did not dare to open her eyes, not knowing what the disgusting slime would do to her eyes, going simply by touch as she searched through the items at the bottom of the pool, her lungs screaming for air by the time her hand finally wrapped around the shaft of the elongated part of the rod, her legs immediately kicking frantically to signal for the others to pull her out with all haste.

Suddenly, her entire body was seized by some kind of disembodied voice screaming directly into her head, much like the ancient trap that Yoshimo had set off had done. For a few moments, Leah lost all control of her body at the fierce protest of the Unseeing Eye, the undead beholder demanding that she released the rod immediately, some kind of enchantment placed upon the item triggering this mental attack upon her senses. When Leah finally managed to shake off the psychic scream that had paralyzed her, she was still floating in the pit of slime, her legs kicking helplessly as her companions had also suffered from the beholder's trap, Viconia and Jaheira having released her to drown pathetically in the pool of jelly. Panic seized Leah's frame and she began to kick and scream with all her remaining strength, eventually forced to take a breath, sucking in disgusting, thick slime into her throat and lungs, the world around her spinning into darkness.


End file.
